Anywhere we go
by Fantasy Cat
Summary: AU storyline set over a year after "Subject 13".  After shooting her stepfather, Olivia is left alone without a home.  Walter brings her back to his family at Reiden Lake where past demons and uncertain futures are bound to find them.  Completed.
1. Without a Home

**In case anyone asks...I'm a bit pressed for time in regards to working on "_History Repeats Itself"_ and will update at my earliest convenience. The muse was calling me again...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fringe or any of the characters. I just have on freaking imaginative mind with them.**

**Spoilers: set in the "Subject 13" storyverse but will probably advance into the future as the story progresses. Assuming that both Peter and Olivia were both around 7-8 during that episode this story begins around 1-2 YEARS after. Nothing epic. Mostly fluffy. Just let me have my fun here.**

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**1987  
**

The first sign of trouble Walter saw was that the lock on the Daycare Center door had completely melted. Parts of the door itself seemed scorched. Walter knew he had an intruder on his hands at this point. But he didn't think to arm himself as he walked on in. Something in him told him he didn't need to.

He had only return here to retrieve some more file boxes since the closure of the daycare not too long ago. He didn't want to close it down. William and Nina had both pressured him to with the rising of universal imbalance. There was nothing major going on in this universe yet. But lots of terrible things were already happening in the other universe, Peter's true home.

He heard scuffling coming from one of the rooms and against his better judgment went towards it. He opened the door and froze. The girl who was lying on one of the beds in room 8 made no attempt to move or even respond to the man who found her.

"Olivia?" Walter smiled. "This is a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"

Olivia didn't respond. As Walter got closer, he realized that in the last year and a half since he saw her, Olivia had no looked very skinny and her face was dark. Both eyes were now blackened and there were sore red spots on her cheeks.

Anger boiled up in Walter. He knew her stepfather had done this to her. It was worst than last he saw her.

"He's done this to you again, Olivia? You can come with me. We'll see to it that that bastard be sent away from you for good."

He reached out to pull Olivia by the hand. But she moaned and said, "he's gone."

"Gone?" asked Walter. "What do you mean, he's gone?"

Olive's eyes began to water. "I shot him."

"You shot him?" But in Walter's mind, he was thinking 'good'. "Child, where's your mother? Why are you here?"

"She dropped me off here." She looked over at the two small suitcases packed with her clothes by her bed. "She doesn't want me anymore."

This made Walter angrier. "That's not acceptable…for a mother to abandon a child over a justifiable action."

Olivia sniffled. "We should go to the police," said Walter.

"No please! I don't want to go to jail!"

"Olivia, you had every reason to do what you did. But I can't, in good conscience, have a 9-year-old child be left here all alone. Where will you go? Where will you live?"

Olivia looked up at Walter and pleaded, "can't I just stay here?"

Walter smiled. "If only it were possible. The Daycare is soon to be taken over by new management. It won't be the same place it once was when we were here." Olivia understood. It would become a standard daycare and it wouldn't be the type that would accept someone who can do the things Olivia does.

"Get your things, Olivia Dunham," said Walter. Olivia didn't move. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"We're going home," he said.

"My mom will be mad if I come home," Olivia cried.

"Not to your home, my dear. I meant to my home. It's very far away from here, but it's still a home for you."

…

After Walter gathered his things, he and Olivia were on a small plane back to New York. Olivia had never been on a plane before and felt sick the whole flight.

They then drove hours into the New York countryside. They saw lots of snow during the drive but it wasn't snow that she was conjuring up. This was real and natural…a beautiful sight in comparison to life in the trailer park she felt trapped in back in Florida.

They entered a lovely looking lake house.

"Walter? Is that you?" A nice familiar looking woman came into the living room and she was shocked to see the little girl that appeared with Walter. "Elizabeth, we have a guest that will be staying with us. Her name is Olivia."

"Walter, isn't this one of your children? From Jacksonville?"

"I'll explain everything in due time, dear. But please for now could you clear up the guest room for Olivia?"

Footsteps could be heard descending down the stairs. "Mom, I can't find my green sweater."

"It's being washed, Peter."

But the little boy who appeared at the stairs did not hear his mother. Instead, Peter froze upon seeing his father and the girl that was with him. Even now he still remembered her.

And Olivia just grew the biggest smile on her face. "Hi."

"Hi," said Peter, who now bore nervous smile.

Walter could see that there was no need for introductions. "Peter, son. Olivia will be staying with us for a while. I'm sure she would love for you to show her around."

"Okay," he said.

Walter nudged Olivia as she went to Peter and the two children went upstairs. Elizabeth was very worried as she looked at her husband. "Walter, please tell me. You didn't bring her here to…"

"No, of course not, Elizabeth!"

"But you've talked about it," she said. "How she might be able to take Peter back."

"That was a long time ago. And Peter has been much happier with us since then. I thought you wanted this."

"To be honest, Walter. I don't know what I want anymore."

"What do you mean? You want me to take him back?"

"I…" Elizabeth was trailing off. "I don't know. I'm sorry." She left Walter alone and waited for him to retread to his office until she could go to her secret stash of liquor in the kitchen and drown herself in her fears and worries.

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**Upcoming in this story:** Peter and Olivia catch up on old times and get to know each other. Walter and Elizabeth continue to have angst.


	2. Keeping Together

Although Peter was supposed to show Olivia around, they first went into Peter's bedroom and didn't leave. "How did you get here?"

"Dr. Walter brought me," said Olivia. She tried to lean back against the wall but was feeling sore. She couldn't let Peter know why so she tried to shake it off.

"What happened?" Peter asked her. "Was it your stepdad again?"

She nodded. "I shot him."

Peter's eyes went wide. He knew she could start fires but he never thought the girl that he fancied would've picked up a gun in her life. "Did he die?"

"No. Nobody knows where he is."

"Well," said Peter. "Maybe you scared him away." He gave Olivia a crooked and then tried to nudge her for reassurance. But she ended up crying out pain from the touch. Peter was frightened by what he did. He didn't realize how skinny she was until he felt nothing but bone on her arm. "I'm sorry."

Olivia tucked at the long sleeves of her sweater, praying that he didn't ask anymore questions. "It's okay. I'm happy he's gone but my mom was really mad. She said I was bad for my sister to be around."

"I didn't know you have a sister."

"Her name is Rachel." Looking around, Olivia realized she was feeling more and more comfortable sitting on Peter's bed. "Do you think he'll let me stay?"

"I hope so," said Peter. "There's not a lot to do around here by myself. There use to be other houses and kids but they all vanished."

"Where did they go?"

"I know what happened. But I can't say."

"Don't you go to school?"

"I use to but then I got sick and my mom and dad thought that I should be home-school since I missed out on a lot. I didn't like school anyways. The kids would pick on me because I use to be fat."

Olivia looked down at the floor. "Kids picked on me because I'm poor."

Peter smiled. For the first time in his life, he had someone he could relate to and he could only his parents would let her stay.

The children were unaware that Walter was overhearing them in the hallway and then headed downstairs. "Elizabeth?" His wife seemed to not listen as she focused on her cooking.

"I'm just making some food for the poor girl. She's malnourished."

"I should've realized," said Walter. "He became worse with her after little Olivia left the program. I never checked up on her…I should've checked up on her to see is she was well."

Elizabeth assured him. "You shouldn't blame yourself, Walter. You weren't the one that was hurting her."

"Still I was fortunate to happen upon her when I did." He looked at his wife. "Are you alright, Elizabeth?"

"No, Walter. I'm worried."

"Peter is not going anywhere, I assure you."

"How do you know?"

"Because I believe that what Peter really needs is a distraction. A reason to get his mind off of the idea that he must return to his true world. And I do believe that having little Olivia Dunham here will provide exactly what all of us wants…a reason to stay together."

"You mean we would be keeping her here?"

"We're a far more stable family environment for that girl. Aren't we?"

"And what about her abilities? What is she does crossover again or opens the hole and Peter just happens to be with her?"

Walter wrapped his arms around his wife. "Elizabeth, my dear. Those problems will be no more. Don't you see? Olivia's abilities are triggered by a heightened state of fear. As long as she feels safe and comfortable in her new environment, nothing will happen. And Peter is happy and if Peter is happy, we'll be happy."

...

But Elizabeth had far too many reasons to not trust Walter's theories. In the end, it wouldn't matter whether Peter was happy and accepting. This wasn't his home and lately the reality of that fact had gotten to Elizabeth hard. Dinnertime was quiet and Olivia was content as she got through three whole plates of food.

"Can I show Olivia the outside, dad?" asked Peter.

Elizabeth got up from the table. "It's late, Peter. You should wait till it gets warmer. Olivia, would like to take a bath before you go to bed?"

Olivia nodded. "See you," she said to Peter. Olivia then got up and followed Elizabeth upstairs to the bathroom as she started the water. "Do you need any help?"

"No," said Olivia.

"You can take a bath by yourself?"

Olivia nervously replied "Yes, please. I can do it myself."

"There should be some clean towels under the sink. Let me know if you need anything, alright dear?"

Olivia nodded and went into the bathroom by herself closing the door and locking it. She was relieved that the door had a lock. The truth was she wasn't all that great at taking baths by herself. She just didn't want Elizabeth to see. As she took off her sweater, Olivia looked with her back to the mirror. The massive streaks of purple, brown, and red from the beatings she had received over the years barely healed. She could see her spine poking through her skin. The front and the ribs were just as bad.

She went over to test the water and felt how hot it was and quickly turned the water to cold. Even though the weather was chilly out, there was no way with her injuries Olivia was going to immerse herself in hot water. She had plenty of scaldings from her stepfather making her sensitive to warmth.

She moaned as she finally stepped into a cold bath feeling a sense of relief that had been denied to her for a very long time and quietly cried.

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**Next chapter: Peter lets Olivia in on a secret.**


	3. Treehouse Secrets

Peter had woken early in great anticipation. He went into the room that Olivia was sleeping in.

"Olivia? Are you awake?"

She began to moan. "No…"

Peter thought he was talking to her until he realized that she was still asleep. The mumbles from under her breath seem incoherent. And soon she was sweating from her forehead.

"Olivia!"

She quickly opened her eyes and began to gasp for air. Her eyes widened in fear as she looked around. "Olivia, it's me. Peter."

She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Bad dream. Sorry."

"Don't be," he said. "I was wondering if you wanna go outside."

"I thought you said there were no other people out there."

"Yeah, but you haven't seen the secret house yet."

"The secret house?"

"Follow me," he said.

The two children bundled up and they walked out into the woods. After trailing through tall trees and steep hills, it seemed as though they were walking around in circles but Peter knew exactly where he was going. They stopped. Olivia saw nothing until she looked up. There hidden in the trees was a ladder leading up to a treehouse. Peter went up the ladder first and Olivia followed. It was a long way up.

The treehouse looked nice. The walls were insulated to provide warmth. Pillows and toys were scattered about. Peter had practically made this place a second home.

"What's so secret about this place?" asked Olivia.

"Dad built it for me last year. But he forgot where he built it. And my mom's never seen it. So I'm the only one who knows it's here. You're my first guest."

Olivia's eyes were drawn to a telescope, set up in perfect position by the open window. She reached out to touch it.

"Careful!" said Peter.

"Why?"

"I have it in perfect position." Peter inspected the telescope to make sure it didn't move.

"But it's only pointing down into the lake," said Olivia. "You like looking at the water?"

"I hate the water," he said. "But I have to watch that spot."

"Why?"

"If I told you, you'd think I'm crazy."

"No I wouldn't," said Olivia. "Tell me."

"Okay, the truth is, this isn't my home. My real home is down there."

"In the water?"

"The water's a portal. I fell into that spot one night and when I came out, I ended up here. Mom and dad here they look exactly like them…my real parents. But I know. I know and they keep telling me lies to make it look like I'm crazy but I'm not. No matter what I tell them they don't listen to me. I wanna accept things the way they are but it's hard. I feel like no matter what I do or say I'm always wrong…like I'm stupid."

Olivia was sympathetic. "You're not stupid, Peter."

"There's another world like this. I know there is. It's my real home."

"Is there a way for you to go back?"

Peter sadly replied "No. I tried to go back once. I think it's one way."

"I'm sorry," said Olivia. For a moment, she wondered if the same world that Peter was referring to was the one she used to see, back when she was at the daycare in Jacksonville, the one with the blimps. But that was impossible. She didn't travel through water to get to the place she went to and if Peter was right, then it was a separate place altogether. Still, she could relate to him. "I believe you, Peter."

Peter felt better. "You're the only one who's ever believed me."

"You still want to go home?" she asked him.

"Sometimes," he said. "Just don't tell my mom and dad what I said…ever, okay? They'll get mad and make up lies like they always do."

"Okay. It can be our secret. And we'll keep it here in the secret house."

Peter smiled. "That's a great idea."

…

The secret had been kept safe while Peter and Olivia returned to the house. Peter's mom did not look happy that they had gone out into the woods that morning but Walter cheerfully took little notice. "Did you sleep well, Olive?"

Olive shrugged. "How long can I stay here?"

"We'll just have to see but hopefully for a long time. Wouldn't you like that?"

Olivia nodded. "My sister will be worried. She's doesn't know I'm not coming home."

"Oh," said Walter.

"I wanna write a letter."

Walter smiled. "Oh absolutely. I'll get you some stamps."

Olivia wrote her letter at the kitchen table and even Peter provided her with some crayons and pencils.

_Dear Rachel,_

_I hope you are okay. I am at a place called Reiden Lake. It is a nice place. I am living with a friend. His name is Peter. I wish I could come home but I dont think mom will let me. Please dont ask her why. Just tell her that I love her and I am very sorry for what I did._

_If you want to write back to me just put a letter in the small white envelope and put it in the mailbox. Dont forget to seal it up. The mailman will do the rest._

_Love,_

_Olivia_

Using the remaining space in the letter, Olivia sketched and colored the forest area and the lake house. She knew her sister enjoyed visuals. She also knew Rachel was not knowledgeable at using mail. So she had to tuck a small white envelope with a stamp and the Reiden Lake address, along with her letter, in a bigger envelope and then gave it to Walter. "Wonderful," he said. "I'll make sure to take it to the post office on my way to work today."

Olivia did not seem optimistic that she would get a response back but it was worth a shot.

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**A second update today because I love you...or I'm bored. Mostly the latter I'm guessing.**

**Next chapter:** dont know yet


	4. Lessons & Letters

Days went by and Olivia got impatient wishing and hoping for a response back from her sister. She wondered if Rachel was okay. Perhaps she failed to follow Olivia's instruction on how to write back…or maybe their mother stopped her from writing back all-together. The latter was most likely. Now she would stare out the window facing the driveway where the mail truck would come should she receive a letter. When Walter came home from work, Olivia would run to the foyer in anticipation, only to have her hopes dashed.

"What's wrong with you, Olivia?" asked Peter. "Don't you play?"

"Of course I play."

"Then let's do something." Peter looked through his toy box but then realized he didn't have anything that Olivia would be interested in. "Sorry I don't have dolls or any of that girly stuff."

"I never had dolls anyway."

"So you're not into girly stuff?"

"I never said that. I just didn't have a lot. Most toys I have, I would wrap for Christmas and give some to Rachel. Make it look like Santa remembered us."

"There's no such thing as Santa," said Peter. "My dad told me."

"I know. But my mom stopped buying us presents years ago…after she married _him_."

Peter couldn't respond. Just to hear anything in regards to Olivia's stepdad was just flat-out depressing. Soon Elizabeth could be heard calling for them. "Peter, Olivia, come downstairs." The children went into the kitchen where Elizabeth had books and papers scattered on the kitchen table. "It's time to get back to your schoolwork," she said.

Peter groaned. "Aw mom."

"Enough Peter. Olivia's had plenty of time to settle in and I can tell you're both in need of some structure. Sit."

Olivia pulled up a chair to the table. "Is it really hard? Homeschool, I mean."

"His father teaches him science but it's far too advance. Stuff even I wouldn't understand. Not for you to worry though. I teach Peter English and Math like they would at any school."

"But mom, Olivia doesn't even know linear equations."

"Peter."

"No, he's right," said Olivia. "I don't know what that is."

"Well, I'm sure Peter can help you get there in time. For now, we'll stick with multiplication tables."

In Peter's mind that was baby stuff. He couldn't believe that Olivia was only just learning multiplication at their age when he could already solve quadratic formulas off the top of his head. But it wasn't that he thought Olivia was dumb. No. He would never think that of her. What he REALLY wanted to do was impress her. And with mathematical genius that's what he attempted to do. Olivia's eyes lit up impressed with how much Peter knew about fractions, multiplying, and dividing…stuff she struggled with a school due to a very distracting homelife.

"Mom, we should take Olivia to visit dad's lab. I can show her all kinds of stuff that I know."

Elizabeth was shocked. "Well, if that's what she would like…"

Olivia nodded.

Elizabeth smiled. "Alright then we should probably work on something else now. Olive, do they teach history at your school?"

"A little."

"Okay then. Do you know who was the first president of the United States?"

Olivia at least knew that. "George Washington?"

"That's right."

"No it's not." The girls turned to see Peter looking very perplexed and confused. "The first president was Benjamin Franklin."

"Peter…"

"And the second was Alexander Hamilton. That's what they taught me in first grade."

Elizabeth sighed. "How about this question: in what town did the Founding Fathers sign the Declaration of Independence?"

Before Olivia could take a guess, Peter butted in. "Oh that's easy. It's Boston. I remember cause dad would take me to that Old North Church where they signed it."

Elizabeth and Olivia only gave him a confused look. And it was at that moment that Peter's face turned red at the realization of what he was doing…he was making a complete idiot of himself…infront of Olivia. "It wasn't in Boston was it?"

"Maybe we should move on to a different subject," said Elizabeth. But Peter got up and ran out of the kitchen with tears in his eyes. "Peter!"

Olivia quickly got up and followed Peter up the stairs but the door was shut on her before she got there. But she walked in anyway, to see Peter crying on his bed. "Go away."

"Peter, what's wrong?"

"It's like I told you. Everything's different here. I'm sick of knowing stuff and being told I'm wrong. We did a play in Kindergarten where everyone played a president and I should know who the first President was because I played him. I played Benjamin Franklin. I knew the Presidents better than anyone in my class. My dad…my real dad taught me. Now I know why mom and dad don't want me to go back to school. Everyone will just think I'm stupid."

"But you're very smart, Peter. You know all of that math stuff I don't even know yet."

"I didn't know it before I came here. I only wanted to so I could be good at something."

"Well, you're very good at helping me."

Peter suddenly began to smile. "Really?"

They turned when they heard a noise and an envelope slipped under the door into the room. Olivia went to pick it up. She recognized the envelope and the writing. Could it be?

"Is it from Rachel?" asked Peter.

Olivia opened it up. "I hope so." The letter looked messy and smudgy and was written in a pink crayon. "It is," she cried.

Peter took a glance at the letter. "You can't even tell what she wrote. Everything's spell wrong."

"I can work it out," said Olivia and slowly she worked through the horrible misspellings out loud. "It says _'Dear Olivia, I miss you very much. Mama never talks of you…or him. I am okay. Mama is kind to me now. The babysitter helped me write this. Tell me more of Peter. Love, Rachel.'_" Olivia shed a tear. Rachel was okay and even though it was clear her mom did not miss her, at least she was comforted by the knowledge that things at home were not a mess anymore.

...

"You see there, Elizabeth?" Walter walked with his wife back down the stairs after slipping Olivia's letter under the door. "Olive can calm Peter just as much as he can calm her."

"It's more than that," said Elizabeth. "He told me today that he wanted visit your lab, with Olivia."

Walter smiled. "Ever since I brought him over here, I've never heard or seen him take an interest in my place of work. This is wonderful."

"Do you think they know about each other, Walter? About what they do?"

"I suppose if they do, it allows them someone to confide in. For his sake however, we have to continue to play our parts."

Elizabeth walked away from Walter angrily. "A part? Is that all it is now? I don't want to put on an act for Peter...I want to be his mother. His real mother." But Elizabeth knew that was the one thing her husband could not do for them and it was back to drinking again.

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**Next chap: the lab visit I think ;)**


	5. Field Trip

"Okay, my turn," said Peter. "If you could be anything, what would you be?"

Looking out at the countryside they were traveling on, Olivia took her time to think about it. "I think I would wanna be a cop."

"A cop? Why a cop?"

"So I can stop people from doing bad things."

"Yeah but anyone can be a cop. I mean, what if you could be something other than human?"

Olivia shrugged. "I dunno. What would you be?"

"A brontosaurus."

She laughed. "Aren't those extinct?"

"Yeah but they're huge and they squish things. I can look down on everyone and stomp whoever gets in my way."

"That's not very nice," said Olivia. "You wouldn't squish me, would you?"

"Of course not. You can ride on my back."

When they arrived at the Harvard Campus and came upon the lush green leading to the Kresge building, the children began to play out their imaginary desires. Olivia wrapped her arms around Peter as she rode his back. "Peter the Brontosaurus is roaming through the jungle with officer Olivia." He crouched as he moved, making roaring noises that sent the squirrels scattering back up the trees.

"Peter, Olivia," called Elizabeth. "Come now. They're waiting for us."

They were unaware that Walter was already waiting across the lawn on the steps of the Kresge building with his comrade, laughing and playing. "It's like I told you, William. They've developed quite an attachment to one another."

"It is remarkable. From my tests, I've theorized that cross-universe relationships are often highly aggressive. These children seem to defy many laws of nature."

"How so?"

"The children are currently in their preadolescent stage of development." William pointed Walter to the two children who were walking toward them now and were holding hands. "That is usually a time when children would not intermingle with the other gender. They're far more emotionally mature for their age than expected."

Walter smiled. "Then I believe it's time."

The children smiled upon seeing Walter. Walter had never seen Peter smile at him ever since he brought him to this world and he knew it was because of the girl. "Children, you're in for a real treat. I have much to show you."

But Olivia was locking eyes with the strange older man that was with Walter curiously. William then got down to her level. "Hello, Olive. You might not remember me, but I helped Walter in your early years at the daycare center. Do you think we could talk?"

Peter, who had never seen this man in his life, seemed very concerned. "I dunno if it's a good idea, Liv."

"Now son, it's nothing to worry about," said Walter. "Olive is in good hands. Why don't you join me in the office. I have something to show you. Are you coming, Elizabeth?"

"I'd rather stay out and get some fresh air if you don't mind."

"Suit yourself, dear." It did seem unusual that Elizabeth wanted to go into the lab but Walter shrugged it off as he led the children inside. In the office, Walter pulled out a box that rustled inside with puzzle pieces. "What is that?"

"This Peter, is a very informative puzzle. One that should instruct you in the matter of the birds and the bees."

But when Peter looked at the picture on the box, he recoiled in disgusted. "Eww, dad! Mom doesn't want me looking at that stuff!"

"It's quite alright, son. You're ten years old. It's about time you learn of these things now just in case."

"Just in case of what?"

"It's no matter," said Walter. "Now, we'll start with the female anatomy…"

The first thing Olivia noticed upon entering the lab was a brown cow nestled in its own stable. His name was Nucleus.

"Walter tells me that you were having difficulties at home," said William. "I'm very sorry to hear that. Are you enjoying your time with the Bishops?"

Olivia nodded.

"They're a good family and you're lucky to have them. And what do you think of Peter?"

"He's a good friend," she said.

"That's good to know, Olive. Walter has also informed me that you've made a few visits to the other place."

Olivia froze. "Please don't," she said. "I don't like how I get there."

"You mean through your fears?"

She looked down to the floor. "I don't want to be scared anymore."

"I understand, Olive. But sometimes it is those very feelings that gives us our power even to do good. Just think about that. It might be of great use to you someday. And as for Peter," he said. "...I only ask that the two of you stick together. You can do that, right?"

That Olivia would agree to do no matter what.

…

"Well this is definitely unexpected."

Elizabeth turned to see a familiar red-headed woman approached her and sit by her on the bench. "Nina. It's been a long time. How have you been?"

"Well. I hear that Peter has come back into your life."

Realizing that Elizabeth had last seen Nina Sharp at her son's funeral, Elizabeth stumbled to find an explanation. "I…"

"You don't have to explain anything. I knew about your husband's plans but I must say I didn't approve. I tried to stop him…at a difficult price." To Elizabeth's shock, Nina pulled up her right arm sleeve to reveal a limb of robotic nature, filled with wires and metal.

"Oh Nina. I'm terribly sorry."

"It's nothing. I have help. What I'd like to know is how you've been since then."

"I'm starting to have my doubts…about everything."

"It must be hard," said Nina. "…to be have a child in your life that's not truly yours."

"I thought I would be happy to have him back but now I feel haunted. I look at Peter and I see my son but at the same time I feel like I'm going mad."

"I'm afraid there's no turning back from everything."

"Would the world really fall apart because of my son?"

Nina got up from the bench. "It's too soon to tell, I'm afraid. Regardless, I wouldn't worry so much now. Rather, you should enjoy this time with your new family while you still have it."

She walked past Olivia and Peter were walking out of the building together. "What did that weird guy want?" Peter asked her.

"It's nothing," said Olivia. "He only wanted to know about Dr. Walter. What about you? You look pale."

"My dad showed me something."

"What?"

"I don't know, and I really don't wanna know," he said. "And I don't think I ever wanna see it again."

…

Nina headed straight to the lab to meet William and Walter. "It's time, Walter."

He pleaded. "Are you sure you must do this?"

"The knowledge you possess of the doorway is too far great to be dispelled to anyone outside of this room," said William. "This must be done before the conflict between the two universes begins."

"Are there any side-effects?"

"I hear you develop quite a permanent sweet tooth and various food cravings, but the memory loss might in fact release chemicals in the brain that increases aggression, confusion, and sometimes even madness."

"Oh dear," said Walter. "But the children…"

"We can only hope that the side effects take years to develop but should your mental state deteriorate," said William. "…then I'm afraid they'll be on their own."

* * *

**Dun dun! oooh getting into the canon I am.**

**Next chap: Olivia's 10th Birthday**

**But I'll wait on some reviews before getting to work. Come on, it's only fair. ;)**


	6. Olivia's 10th, Part One

"Rise and shine, Olivia!" Walter had burst into the room and threw open the curtains as Olivia was stirred from under the covers. "Don't think that I wouldn't know what today is."

"Walter, let her sleep some more."

"But today's her birthday, Elizabeth…and an important one. It is her year in the second digits. That calls for a very special cake. I'll make it myself. Go wake up Peter and have him decorate the living room for the occasion."

It took a bit of motivation to get Peter to wake up but after hearing that it was Olivia's birthday, he finally caved in. It was her first birthday at Reiden Lake and he wanted to make it a very special one. You might say, he put his heart into the decorating.

Walter meanwhile, wanted to know how Olivia wanted her birthday cake. "I can do an apricot pudding or a nice pumpkin squash..."

"How about chocolate?" asked Olivia.

"Of course," said Walter. "For the frosting, I've invented a new flavor to try…baconberry!"

"Baconberry?"

"Yes…" Walter spaced out for a minute. "Blast! I'm already forgetting the ingredients! Belly did say this would happen."

Olivia asked, "Say what would happen?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were in the room, Olivia. Now then…those ingredients."

Olivia didn't know what was wrong with Dr. Walter. He seemed very disoriented lately, and more forgetful. Perhaps he was ill. Either way she wanted to help him. "Won't we need bacon?"

"Yes! Bacon-berry frosting!" He opened the fridge and was disgruntled to find nothing but vegetables and tofu in the crisper drawers. "Elizabeth, where's the blasted bacon?"

Elizabeth called from the living room. "We don't eat bacon in this house, Walter." She was irritated that her husband was forgetting about her vegetarianism lately.

"But I can't make baconberry frosting without the bacon grease for flavoring," said Walter. "Be a dear and get some bacon at the store."

She sighed, "Only because it's a special occasion." She went over to Peter. "Peter, come to the store with me."

But Peter leaned over to whisper to his mother. "Dad's been acting weird lately."

"I know, sweetheart."

"Do you think Olivia will be okay?"

"She'll be just fine with your father, Peter. I was thinking we could stop by the toy store on the way, and you could pick out a present for Olivia. Wouldn't you like that?"

While Peter and Elizabeth were out, Olivia helped Dr. Walter make her birthday cake. In the course of their baking, the kitchen had become an awful mess with either of them noticing. "I have lots of Red Vines that we can put on top of the cake. Try some."

Olivia took a piece of licorice to eat and smiled. "They're good."

"Oh goodness! I almost forgot the berries and Elizabeth and Peter will be back any minute." Walter looked around finally acknowledge the state of the kitchen. "How did this kitchen get so messy? Blast."

"I can go get the berries, Dr. Walter."

"Oh would you? That would be wonderful. Now, I prefer you pick the berries from the tree next to the woodshed. Those berries tend to have the right Smokey flavor for the frosting. I'll see what I can about this mess. Elizabeth would surely combust is she sees this!"

Since living at Reiden Lake, Olivia had gotten accustomed to her new surroundings. She loved being around nature and picking fruit from the trees to bring to the "secret house" when the air was warmer. Today, however, it was surprisingly cold. Olivia hoped that a quick grab of berries from the lower branches would be enough for the recipe even though there weren't so many up for grabs.

But just as she about to reach, she heard a noise. It was coming from behind the shed. Olivia could only assume it had been an animal until the noise occurred again. She thought she heard what sounded like a low grumble or murmur.

Being the kid that she was, she went around the shed to investigate.

She felt herself being pulled around the corner and a strong hand covered her mouth. She couldn't believe who it was infront of her. Her was screaming _'This can't be happening!'_

But it was, and standing before her here of all places what the last person she hoped to ever see again. Even more terrifying was the now deformed eye that was caused by her own hand the night she pulled the trigger of that gun and missed the intended target.

"Took a long time to track you down," he said. Seeing the fear in her eyes, he slowly let his hand down knowing that Olivia was now too terrified to make any sort of voice to call for help. "I heard your mother threw you out. Serves you right, you little sh*t."

Finally Olivia gave a small whimper but it wasn't going to be heard with the nearest person in the house. The house might as well be miles from where she was trapped now.

"Naw, I'm not here to hurt you," he said. "As far as the records show, I'm still legally your parent and that still makes you my little princess, don't it?"

Olivia was slowly building up with anger. The sound of him calling her that was acid to her ears.

"But if you want to stay up here with these bunch of hicks, that's fine. You do that. Just one thing before I go."

Olivia closed her eyes. "Take it!"

When she finally opened them, she was surprised to find her stepfather handed her an envelope. As she took the envelope her stepfather even reached up to the branch and handed her the berries she came here for.

It was after the berries were finally in her hand when he reached for Olivia's wrist again. "I told you to never run away from me. I'm only letting it slide because I know where to find you now. I have my ways. You enjoy your stay here, Princess because if you even try to step one foot outta here, I'll find you again…and next time, I'll make you sorry that you cost me an eye."

The words were spat at her with so much venom in the threat. It didn't help when he placed a hand to her back to guide her way back to the house. The feeling was like being stung by ice.

"And princess…" He smiled menacingly. "Happy Birthday."

Olivia stopped and turned back. He had gone. Completely vanished. But a trace of his footsteps were left behind in the snow. Proof that what just happened to her was not a bad dream. It was a horrid reality come true.

She stood there, frozen, and still clutching the envelope in one hand. She opened it to reveal a simple children's birthday card. Inside was a short message, written in his handwriting.

_'See you next year.'_

Angrily, she threw the card as she ran to the back door and entered the kitchen. To her embarrassment, all three of the Bishop clan were there…staring at her unexpected entrance.

"There you are, Olivia," said Elizabeth. "You had us worried. We were just about to go out and look for you."

Olivia looked pale and the two parents only assumed that she was just cold from exposure. But Peter, who was carrying a big wrapped box in his hands, looked into her eyes and sensed something very wrong. He just knew something had happened and she was very scared.

"You okay, Olivia?"

"My berries," said Walter as he took them from Olivia's hand. "They're a bit squished but we can finally have that frosting finished and then I can set up the candles."

Olivia shook her head. "No."

"No? You don't want the berries in your cake frosting?"

"I don't want this." She was shaking all over now. "I don't want any of this. I don't want a cake or candles or a party…"

Peter cautiously approached Olivia to hand her his present. "Don't you want to at least see what it is?"

Without even thinking Olivia grabbed the give and threw it to the floor. "I told you I DON'T WANT ANY OF IT! I DON'T WANT A BIRTHDAY! I DON'T EVER WANT TO HAVE A BIRTHDAY AGAIN!"

She ran out of the kitchen in tears and through the living room where Peter had set up the décor. She tore some down angrily before heading out the front door. Going to her bedroom would've made her feel cornered by the Bishops.

Running outside, she got about 5 feet before she completely broke. And it was after she started wiping her face did Olivia realize that going back outside was a mistake. All she could hear now was his voice practically whispering in her ear…

_'I told you to never run away from me…I know where to find you now… if you even try to step one foot outta here…'_

Oh god. What if he meant even leaving the house? For all Olivia knew, he could still be out here. It just wasn't fair. Once Olivia pulled that trigger she thought she would finally be able to put a stop to it all. But now he knew she was here and as long as he was aware of where to find her, she would never be free of him.

The terror and fear build up inside of her until she was blinded by a blue light.  


* * *

**As I expected, this chapter was super long so it's being split into two parts. I'm almost done with the second half which I will post tomorrow, reviews depending. :)**


	7. Olivia's 10th, Part Two

It suddenly started to snow.

She turned back towards the house and everything seemed still and quiet. Olivia didn't want to be outside anymore. It just wasn't safe.

But as she got closer to the front door she saw the shadow of a man standing on the front porch and quickly rounded the corner of the house to hide, praying that whoever was there did not see her. 'Please don't let it be him,' she screamed inside. She heard the man knock on the door, and a few seconds later it opened. "Come in, Walter."

Olivia gave a sigh of relief. It was only Walter.

She took a peak through the living room window just to get more secure confirmation, but something about the living room seemed odd. The decorations she tore down were missing, the couch was a different color, and the fireplace was different. She recognized that strange change in details right away. And soon she saw Elizabeth and Walter dressed differently from what they were wearing earlier today. Even their hair was different.

But there was no Peter.

Walter carried a briefcase and opened it on the coffee table. "The divorce papers, as you requested."

"Walter…"

"I didn't want things to be this way either, Elizabeth. But the press continues to hound this place like a dog. You can continue to have a normal life if we sign these papers."

"Nothing can be normal, Walter. Not after what you found out about what happened to Peter."

"I know, Elizabeth. But there will come a time when we can find him. It will take some time but the important thing is that we know what happened. I don't care what it takes. I will figure out a way to go over there."

"Perhaps you could question the girl the next time she comes here."

"I've held out waiting for that girl as long as I could, but I believe it's clear that she's not coming back." He pulled out a notebook. "I did bring you this."

Through the window Olivia recognized her old drawing book with her name on the cover, the one she had back in the daycare in Jacksonville. She thought she had lost it. "Who's Olivia?"

"The girl who came and answered our prayers Elizabeth. Open it."

Elizabeth got a few pages into the sketchbook and was stunned by what she saw…a drawing of a boy and girl holding hands in a garden of tulips. "Walter…is this?"

"Yes," said Walter. "Our son is still alive."

Elizabeth broke down and cried as Walter embraced her. "We're going to get him back, Elizabeth. Someday, we will. I promise you."

Olivia took a step back on the window only to fall back into a pile of buckets and metal that was there. It caused a huge crash.

"Walter, I hear someone outside."

"Wait here."

He went over to the side window of the living and saw a small head of blond hair peeking out through the window. Olivia seeing this Walter getting closer started running away from the house. Walter ran to the front door.

"Stop! Come back!"

But Olivia kept running across the lake. To her luck, the water had frozen. She ran across the frozen ice and notice that there were other houses nearby that she never saw before, their windows lit up in the darkness.

She got more terrified knowing that this Walter was slowly catching up to her. A blinding light and suddenly Olivia found herself being sucked into the icy waters.

Olivia couldn't swim very well and the icy waters only deterred from her ability to get back up to the surface. She swore she could see some faces, hear voices from above, but they were too far from her reach, and soon she began to black out.

…

She shook uncontrollably. Every part of her body was incredibly sore. Olivia could barely open her eyes or recall what happened after falling into the water.

But now, she was lying in her bed wearing a thick pair of pajamas. Elizabeth had a warm towel to the girl's head and it was cooling off quicker than expected. "Walter, she's waking up."

Walter hurried into the room. "Olive! You gave us quite a fright."

Olivia couldn't say anything. "I'll go make her some tea," said Elizabeth. When she left the bedroom, Walter sat on the edge of the bed. "Olive?"

Slowly she began to open her eyes. "Where am I?"

"You're back in your room dear. You ran out of the house and fell into the lake. I'm just glad my friend was there to rescue you."

Olivia breathed, "Friend?"

"I'll tell you about him someday but for now…," he said. "…I need to ask you something. When you ran outside, did you…?"

"What?"

"Did you cross over?"

"I…"

"You did, didn't you?"

Olivia nodded very weakly.

"You saw versions of us? Did you see what they were doing? Are they plotting to come here? Are they coming for Peter?"

Olivia was getting stressed and frightened by all the questions. She was still struggling to put her thoughts together as Walter came closer. "I…"

Walter grasped Olivia by the shoulders and started shaking "ANSWER ME, OLIVIA! ARE THEY COMING? DAMMIT, REMEMBER!"

"WALTER!"

Elizabeth came into the room and pulled Walter away from Olivia. "What on earth's gotten into you?"

"I…" He turned and Olivia had now taken shelter underneath the blankets, quietly shaking and sobbing in terror. Walter realized his mistake. "I…I don't remember why…I'm so sorry, Olive." He quietly left the room.

Elizabeth quickly went over to the bed. "Olivia, it's okay." She left a cup of tea by the nightstand. "Please have some before it gets cold, alright dear?"

In the course of the night, Olivia only managed to drink a few sips of tea. She had no idea what time it was when she got a knock on her door. Fearing it was Walter, she hid again under the covers.

"Olivia?"

Through the covers Olivia could see an unusual glow coming from the person entering the room. She peaked out believing she must still be really sick and her vision still blurry. "Peter?"

The door open and Peter came in, carrying the present that Olivia had nearly smashed to the floor earlier. "Are you okay?"

She could tell he had been crying but then so had she and there was no hiding that. "He was here…my stepdad. He knows I live here."

"You have to tell him, Olivia."

"He's gone now, it won't make a difference."

"It will if he tries to come back."

Peter was right, considering the message in the birthday card indicated that her stepfather would be back next year and perhaps the year after…and the year after that. He really was already making Olivia sorry for shooting him, no matter how much he did deserve it.

Peter then took Olivia by the hand to pull her out of bed and the two went downstairs. Olivia was still feeling unwell but she had to do it. She had to tell them. Elizabeth was shocked to see the children. "Peter, this is no time to play with Olivia! She needs to be in bed."

"My…" Olivia shook. "My stepdad was here, when I went to get berries for the cake. He gave me a card but I dropped it outside."

"Olivia, you're still in shock. You fell into very cold water," said Elizabeth.

"But I believe her mom!" said Peter. "I'll go out and find the card myself." He went out the back door.

"Peter! You don't have a coat!"

Fortunately, Peter didn't need it. He found the card in a matter of seconds and brought it back into the house. He gave the card to his mother but Olivia almost didn't want him to. She felt ashamed and terrified.

After looking at the card in shock, Elizabeth said "Peter, take Olivia back upstairs. I'll talk to your father about this."

"Are you going to find him?" asked Olivia.

"He's a dangerous man who trespassed on private property," said Elizabeth. "I'm sure the police will be looking out for him."

"I'm sorry I ruined my birthday."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Olivia. Please just get back to bed and get some rest."

Peter helped Olivia back to her bedroom. "They won't find him," said Olivia. "He's going to come back."

"Well if he does," said Peter. "We'll be ready for him."

But Olivia knew this wasn't possible. As far as she knew her stepfather was clever. Besides he knew she was here. "My mom and Rachel…what if he went to see them?"

"You can write to them tomorrow. I better go before my mom gets mad at me." Peter headed to the door solemnly although he really did not want to leave Olivia alone in her terrible state.

"Peter, wait." Peter turned back and Olivia was pointing to the box on the floor with smashed corners. "Your present. I didn't break it, did I?".

He picked up and shook the gift. "I don't think so. It's just a plastic…"

"Let me open it first," she said. Peter gave her the box and she slowly managed to tear at the wrapping paper, pulling it apart. She recognized the doll from the TV commercials. She couldn't believe she was holding an authentic Cabbage Patch Kids doll. Now that was a toy Olivia knew her mom could never afford to buy for her. "Peter…"

"I uh…remembered you saying that you never had dolls. I was too scared to get it because I didn't want anyone in the store to think I was weird for buying one."

Olivia laughed. "Peter, thank you. This is the best present I've had in years." She then started to feel guilty. "I'm really sorry I yelled at you."

"Don't worry about that Olivia," said Peter. "Dad saved the cake in the fridge. We can eat some when you get better."

"Yeah but it's baconberry frosting."

"I know," said Peter. "But I miss eating bacon."

Olivia giggled. "Me too."

…

The children were likely asleep by the time William Bell arrived on the Bishops' doorstep. "Thank you for coming," said Elizabeth. "Walter insisted that you come."

"Is Olive alright?"

"She's resting. I phoned the police and they're going to be on the lookout for her stepfather."

"Where is Walter?"

Elizabeth led William to Walter's private office where he had been sitting quietly for hours. "Walter?"

"Hello, William."

"Elizabeth told me you lost control today."

Walter cried. "I didn't mean to hurt her. William, what is happening to me?"

"I'm afraid it's the side effects."

"I didn't think that having a part of my brain removed would cause me to hurt others."

"You're frustrated, Walter. The emotions of memory loss will often get out of control."

"But what will happen to Peter if I...?"

"Peter will be fine as long as you keep Olivia here."

"You mean forever? I assumed this would only be temporary…that her mother might come to her senses."

"Even so, Olivia is needed here, or Peter will be too compelled to return to his true world."

"What if her family comes for her?"

"Leave that to me," said William. "In the meantime, Walter you'll need to prepare the children, just in case the worst happens."

"The worst? But what would that…?"

William left the Bishop home before Walter could finish his question.

* * *

**Next chapter: Walter's mind continues to deteriorate and the kids resort to drastic measures.**


	8. Runaway

She didn't want to scare her little sister with what happened over her birthday. So Olivia would simply asked in her letter if Rachel or their mother had gotten any visits from their stepfather since the night he disappeared from the hospital. In return days later, she got a belated birthday greeting from Rachel and a 'no.'

This surprised everyone at the house. The bastard fortunately hadn't gone anywhere near Rachel or her mother (even though he knew where to find them). Yet he went to great lengths to find out where Olivia was and track her down. But how?

It didn't matter. What mattered now was that he knew Olivia was here and it made her terrified. Ever since, she was too scared to step outside of the house for any reason unless someone was with her and most of the time, that person was Peter. Peter was the only person Olivia felt safe around now.

Walter had been keeping his distance from the children ever since he lost control and frightened Olivia…except that being 10, it was now Olivia's turn to learn about 'the birds and the bees' and Walter left no small detail when he lectured her. Much in the same way he taught Peter, Walter found himself discussing more on the subject of erections and orgasms than anything else. Olivia was very uncomfortable with all Walter was teaching her, nor did she knew why it was even important.

"Just be sure that my son wears a condom during your first night copulation," he said.

"But what's a condom?"

"Oh dear," he said. "I forgot to explain that part to Peter…"

And in the end, he never got around to explaining that part to Olivia either.

It seemed as though Walter was acting more unusual…more disturbed…more scatterbrained. Peter tried to ask him something and Walter blew up at him. He never yelled at his own son before…not in that way.

Christmas rolled by and Olivia's fears were slowly easing. Her stepfather wasn't harassing her during the holidays at least. But tensions between the parents were very high. Elizabeth was consuming more wine than normal and Walter began to mumble numbers everywhere we went. The numbers, according to Peter, were part of the Fibonacci equation. There was barely a moment when he wasn't eating something sweet.

Then came one night when the children were doing their schoolwork in the living room. Walter had come home early and sat in his favorite chair carrying an unusual pipe in his hands and he started to smoke it. Peter never knew his father smoked. The room began to fill up with an unusual scent.

"WALTER!"

Elizabeth stormed into the living room. "Peter, Olivia, go to your rooms now." The kids had never picked up after themselves and scurried away so fast in their lives. By the time they reached the second floor, Elizabeth had blown up. "What's wrong with you? Doing drugs infront of the children?"

Soon the yelling got so intense, it made it impossible to Olivia to go to sleep. She was too scared to open the door but she had to. She had to get out of here and into Peter's room. On tippy-toes, her heart was racing as she quietly and quickly opened the door to his room, careful not to trip over her own nightgown on the way. Again, she saw a strange glow around him.

"Olivia? Is that you?"

"Shh," she said. "I'm scared they'll hear us."

"Yeah," he said. "They'll probably keep at it all night."

"Do you think I could…sleep in here tonight?"

But looking around, Peter realized that he had too many clothes and toys scattered everywhere from his own lack of cleaning up after himself. Even if there was room, he wasn't going to let Olivia sleep on the hardwood floor. He scoot over and pulled back the blanket letting Olivia crawled in. They swore they could hear glass breaking downstairs.

"It's just like being back home," said Olivia. "I thought things would be happier here."

"Me too."

Even through her tear-stricken eyes, Olivia could see Peter glowing but something about it made her feel comfortable, made her feel safe. Peter grabbed a nearby tissue to wipe the tears from her eyes. Deep down, he was feeling just as terrified as Olivia. Without thinking he reached his arm over and pulled Olivia closer to him, clutching her to him like a stuffed teddy bear. Olivia was feeling strange yet she couldn't help but love how Peter was holding her close. She had never been this close to a boy before. Even Nick, her closest friend at the daycare, was afraid of getting her cooties. But to Peter and Olivia, that didn't matter.

Tonight, they needed to be together and they weren't going to let go.

The next morning, the children were still embraced. They awoke around the same time. Olivia slowly looked up, her eyes wanting to meet Peter's, and unexpectedly, the tip of her very nose came in touch with his and their faces turned red. But they were smiling more than they had in weeks.

"Good morning, Peter."

"Morning," he said. Peter was shifting his arms when Olivia unexpectedly giggled. Realizing he had his hand underneath Olivia's arms, he gave her a devilish smile. "I think you're ticklish, Olivia."

"No I'm not!"

"Prove it." His fingers attacked Olivia's sides with a great fury. She did everything to fight against him but her giggling took control over her. For the short time he has known Olivia, Peter had never seen her laughed or smile this much before. And he wanted to keep it going as long as he could.

Everything stopped however when the door opened. Elizabeth just stood agape at seeing the two of them, in their nightwear, beneath the covers of the same bed together. "Children, out of bed." Olivia got out first (her face as red it as it was) and quickly walked past Elizabeth and out of the room.

"Peter, what were you doing with Olivia?"

He was surprised by his mother's stern demeanor. "She was scared, mom. She didn't want to be alone."

"But you didn't do anything during the night?"

"No, we just went to sleep. Why mom? What's the big deal?"

"I know what your father showed you, the day I took the two of you to visit his lab in Harvard." Peter was confused and didn't get what that weird lecture on human anatomy had anything to do with what he did last night. "It's inappropriate for a boy and girl your age to be sleeping in a bed together."

"But mom…"

"Peter, I want your word that it won't happen again…that you and Olivia will sleep in your own separate rooms. Do you understand?"

He sighed. "Yeah, mom." Peter was angry. How could his mother forbid such a thing when there was nothing wrong about it? He had greatly considered the idea of Olivia moving into his room and sharing his bed with her, so that the next time she had a nightmare he could be there to comfort her and they could be together whenever things got bad like they did last night.

What was so inappropriate about that?

"Oh Peter. Could you come downstairs please?"

Walter was being surprisingly cheerful but as his father's request, Peter quickly got dressed and followed his father outside to the garage. "Dad, what is this?"

"Just something I need your help testing with. Now if you could get on the stool for me." Peter sat on the stool by his father's car. The engine hood was popped open and the car battery exposed with lots of wires hanging out of it. He didn't think anything of it until Walter picked up the wires that had electrodes attached. Other wires were connected to a big power charger.

"I don't wanna do this, dad."

"Just hold still. It'll only be a quick test." He took the electrodes and began attaching them to Peter's forehead. That's when he started to cry.

"This will hurt for a few seconds," said Walter. He turned the dial on the power charger and a humming filled the room.

"Dad…please…" The electricity surged through Peter rather painfully but Walter was more fixed on the computer that was collecting test results. After a few minutes, Walter finally turned off the machine. "Well done, Peter."

"What did you do to me?" he cried.

"I did nothing to you, son," said Walter. "I merely needed to test the power of your brain. I'll need to take a different approach with Olivia due to her Cortexiphan abilities…the tank should do it…I'll need some drugs…"

Once Walter removed the wires from Peter's head, Peter ran out of the garage and back into the house. He ran straight to Olivia's room. "Peter?" She reached out to touch the strange bruising spots on Peter's head. "What happened?"

"My dad. He did this to me."

"Why?"

"It could be why he kidnapped me," he cried. "He's going to do the same thing to you, too."

"What?"

"I heard them. He's going to do a test on you."

"But I've done tests with him before and it never hurt."

"Has he ever put you in a tank and filled you up with drugs?"

Olivia was shocked. That sounded nothing like the Dr. Walter from daycare. "What do we do?"

"We have to run away. We'll go to the secret house. No one will find us there. Not even your stepdad."

"You mean live there forever?"

"Well we can't live here. Pack up but stay quiet about it."

In duffle bags, they stuffed all the clothes, toys, books, and blankets that they could. Peter would keep an eye out in the hallway. Walter went to his lab. So it was all a matter of getting past Elizabeth, which would be impossible since she was downstairs.

But then, Peter had an idea. Olivia's bedroom window provided the perfect escape, a safe means to the ground. They dropped their bags down first, the snow providing a quiet cushion. Then Olivia carefully climbed down the column that was just below her window. Peter closed the window and soon followed. As they made their way through the snow, Peter made sure to sweep away their tracks as much as possible to keep from being found.

By nightfall, they had arrived at their secret house. More snow arrived providing the perfect coat to hide their hideout from the outside world. The kids covered every nook and cranny with whatever they could and then huddled together inside a sleeping bag.

"Are you cold, Olivia?"

"Just hold me."

Peter complied. He was happy that he could sleep with Olivia by his side tonight like he wanted to instead of being told by adults what was inappropriate.

"What if your mom and dad find us?" Olivia asked him.

"I won't let him hurt you," he said. "Even if we have to run farther away."

"I dunno, Peter."

"Just trust me, 'Livia. I'm not leaving you here alone."

"We'll be together though right? Wherever we run away to?"

"Always," said Peter. He hugged Olivia as tight as he did the night before. She turned to face him and on instinct they leaned in. Their lips touched and for one night, the world outside of the secret house became long forgotten.

* * *

**Next chapter: Not sure where I really wanna go with this next. But Olivia will tell Peter about her crossing over ability. Do you think they really should run away together? And if so where? They're only 10 years old after all. Lend me a thought via review.**


	9. Home Again?

"Peter! Olivia!"

The kids stirred from their sleep hearing their names being called out in the distance. Olivia was the first to realize what was going on. "Peter, your mom and dad are looking for us."

Peter got up and looked out the window. "We should go before they find the secret house."

"But where, Peter? There isn't another place for miles."

"I'm sure we'll find something. I think if we keep going that way, there's a clubhouse that's closed in the winter. We can stay there."

Peter grabbed their things and the two headed down the secret house back to the ground but as Peter started leading the way, he turned back to see Olivia not moving. "What's wrong Olivia?"

"This is a mistake. I shouldn't have left the house."

"Olivia, did you hear what I said? My dad is going to put you in a tank. He nearly killed me with his test. What if you drown in that tank?"

"I…I can't go, Peter. He'll know that I left. He told me to never leave or…"

"Who are you talking about?"

But before she could answer, the voices were getting closer. Peter quickly grabbed Olivia's arm. "Let's go, 'Livia. Hurry."

"Peter, I said no!"

The fear of running away was met with the fear of getting put into the tank by Walter. Olivia didn't want to do either of those things but now she felt cornered, trapped. Olivia placed her other hand on Peter in an attempt to get him to let go as a blue light blinded them both.

Suddenly their feet were soaking wet. Looking down, the children had found themselves standing in the middle of a cold creek that had not been there before. They hurried out and looking up they found that their secret house had completely disappeared. Their stuff was gone as well.

Peter noticed that they were in the backyard of someone's house…a house he didn't realize was there before. "What's going on?" said Peter. "Where are we?"

They walked around and saw other houses in the area that never existed before. Reiden Lake was supposed to be a quiet place, the Bishops being one of very few residents here.

"Peter…I…"

"Hey," Peter ran ahead. "Look over here."

Olivia followed Peter to a covered swimming pool. "I remember this pool. It's Bobby Steeler's. He'd invite me over to go swimming with him in the summer before…"

Seeing Peter's eyes suddenly widen, Olivia asked "Before what?"

"Before I got sick with the flu. Mom and dad told me they moved away like everyone else." Peter started running and Olivia quickly followed. They were heading back to the Bishop house, which surprised Olivia because that was the very place Peter wanted to run away from. He didn't go into the house but instead looked into the windows and noticed some familiar changes. It wasn't until Olivia came upon a pile of buckets and metal did she finally realize where they were.

"Peter, I think we should go."

"Olivia, do you know what this place is? It's my home, my real home! I'm back!"

Peter then ran around to the front of the house just stopping short when she saw a woman stepping out onto the front porch. A car was pulling up to the front.

"See her?" Peter pointed Olivia to the woman on the doorstop. "It's my real mom."

He was one second away from running ahead towards his mother with open arms, when the two kids, saw a man step out of the car. The man was taller, younger looking, and had dark hair and was carrying a bouquet of flowers. Elizabeth came to greet him with a hug and then they kissed.

Peter didn't move. He only watched with his jaw dropped as the mom he knew was leading another man that was not his father into the house. "That's…that's not my dad." He curled up into a ball on the floor. "But this is my home. This doesn't make any sense."

"Peter…"

"How did we get here?"

"I did it, Peter."

"You?"

"I believed you when you told me about this place because I've been here before, Peter. On my birthday when I fell into the lake, I came here by accident. Your mom and dad were getting a divorce."

Peter got angry. "A divorce? They would never…"

"I'm sorry, Peter."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Dr. Walter said we're supposed to keep it a secret. I didn't want to get in trouble with him."

"My dad can make you do that?"

She nodded. "At least you're home."

Peter looked through the window and saw his mother with the man on the couch all warm and snuggly together. He started to cry. "No." he said. "This isn't home."

"But Peter."

"It's never going to be home again, Olivia. My parents are separated now because of me. What if they forgot about me?"

"They would never forget you, Peter. I heard them talk about you. They want to find you."

"Maybe they've changed their mind. Besides, if they really missed me, they would've never gotten a divorce." Peter reached out for Olivia's arm. "Can you take us home?"

"I'm not sure," she said. But suddenly she felt herself starting to fade. Peter could see that Olivia's presence was slowly started to disappear. "Olivia!" He quickly grabbed her arm tight and started to fade with her.

Inside the house, Elizabeth suddenly sat up. "Elizabeth, honey? Something wrong?"

"I thought I heard someone at the window, Travis. Just a moment." She hurried over and saw no one outside but she did see what looked like small child's footprints.

She sighed. "I think the Steeler boys are causing trouble in our yard again."

…

Peter and Olivia fell backwards into a ground filled with snow. They were now literally right next to the house. Their cheeks were getting red from the cold and they could see their puffs of breath.

"Peter?"

She looked over and Peter was crying. "Are we back home?"

"Peter! Olivia!"

Walter and Elizabeth hurried over to the kids. "We spent the whole night out here looking for both of you!"

"Elizabeth." Walter was inspecting Olivia. "Let's get them inside, quickly."

They got the kids wrapped up in blankets on the living room couch. "Explain yourselves, children."

"You were going to experiment on Olivia. I heard you."

"Now, Peter. I take the utmost care of all of the children that I work with."

"But you hooked ME to a car battery!"

"Walter?"

"Elizabeth, it was merely a test." Walter could Elizabeth was fuming, ready to burst at the seams but she wasn't going to let it out infront of the children. "We'll talk about that later. But you two, you can't be out there at night when it's below freezing. You could've been killed."

"I don't care." Peter stood up and stormed away. "Anywhere's better than here."

"Peter! You shouldn't be so ungrateful. Olive was forced out for her own home and all you can do is think about yourself?"

"You took me away from my home and now I can never go back. I have nothing to go back to! You ruined my life, Walter!" Peter went up the stairs.

"I can't do this anymore." Elizabeth turned and angrily headed to the kitchen. Leaving Walter and Olivia awkwardly alone. Walter was still dealing with the shock of his son calling him 'Walter' for the first time. "I…I don't know what he's talking about, Olive. He was out in the cold for a long time."

But Olivia knew better. She didn't want to debate it with Walter out of fear. She was starting to understand Peter's frustration with the Bishops. Everything was falling apart in this house and yet this was still the only place she felt safe.

When she went upstairs as the parents were fighting again and into Peter's room, he almost didn't acknowledge her. "I'm sorry," said Olivia. "I can you take you back."

"I don't wanna go back anymore," said Peter. "It's pointless."

"Are you gonna run away again?"

"No," he said. "If you're not coming with me. You shouldn't be alone with my…Walter now that he's crazy and doing tests on us. And…you're the only one who even believes me about anything."

"You believed me when I said my stepdad was here."

"Do you really like it here?" asked Peter.

Olivia nodded. "Yeah."

"Then, I guess running away really was a bad idea."

Olivia crawled onto the bed with Peter and gave him big hug. She didn't care that Elizabeth could walk in on them any minute. Neither did Peter. Olivia was the only person left in either universe that Peter had left, the only one left that he really wanted to be with.

…

"Peter? Olivia? Could you come downstairs a moment?"

They stopped playtime and Peter instantly became suspicious. He took Olivia's hand in his as they slowly went down the stairs. They stopped halfway to see Walter waiting for them in the living room with a box by his feet.

"What's wrong Peter?"

"We're not coming down unless you promise not to hurt us, Walter."

Walter was still agitated with his son calling him that. "Peter…"

"…and that you won't experiment on Olivia."

"I…," he said. "I promise. I just wanted to give you children a gift." Finally Peter and Olivia took a few more steps until they reached the floor. "You children need a bit something more than each other to keep you occupied. I think this would be the perfect way to teach you both some responsibility. Open up."

Peter and Olivia carefully opened the flaps only to have a sudden small ball of fur stick out at them.

"A puppy!"

Olivia picked the creature up. He was black and brown with a fluffy white tummy.

"His name is Rufus," said Walter. "And he's a border collie, one of the most intelligent breeds in the world, so hopefully he can be housebroken quickly enough. Can I trust you two to take care of him?"

The children gullibly smiled, happy with their new companion. Walter knew this was the perfect thing to keep the children satisfied in their difficult environment. He hoped there would be no more concern of Peter or Olivia wanting to run away to leave now.

Besides, if he couldn't do any tests on the children, at least there was now Rufus.

* * *

**Boy howdy! I struck review gold with that last chap! Where were you all in my earlier ones? Ok I kid. But now I got a problem as I've now reached "stuck point" with this fic. **

**I have a couple of ideas with where to go with this and the ideas do factor in how fast time will speed up in this story and when. Some ideas are darker than others. One might be a bit too traumatizing. I'd share what I got with you but I don't wanna be spoilery. Everything's in the planning phase right now and are not 100% complete in my mind. This will require some time to think about. But as always your ideas are welcome. So please dont be shy...I like listening to ideas that may surpass my own. Teehee.  
**


	10. Aging and Falling

The children trained Rufus well and he kept them occupied enough that Walter could stay at his lab in Cambridge more often and not have to worry about the children getting into trouble. William Bell hadn't been heard from for quite some time and it had him worried but Walter wasn't gonna let that bother him.

As no new word ever came from Jacksonville, Olivia was allowed to remain in the Bishops' care but still she worried that one day, her happiness here would come to an abrupt end. She knew she couldn't stay here forever but she would dread the day when it comes…whenever it comes. Not soon she hoped.

Eventually a year would pass and then on her 11th birthday, another card came from her stepfather. She had spent that birthday sitting in the darkness of her bedroom with Rufus. Peter had torn and thrown away the card before she could see it but she knew it would come. As long as he was still out there, he would find a way to get it to her. There were no parties or cake anymore. Eventually the Bishops would respect this was how Olivia would want it to be.

But at least the children were doing well in their studies. Olivia and Peter helped each other catch up and soon they were years ahead of their peers gaining skills and knowledge at a high school grade level (though Peter still had trouble with history until he no longer cared).

...

In the summer of that year, Walter got a break from his work. He wanted to take the children camping further north.

"Isn't this wonderful," Walter said as he set up the tents. "Peter I remember bringing you up here and we stayed at this very camp. You would mark your territory…not literally of course…but you would claim this whole park as 'Petertopia'. Yes, I think that was what you called it."

Peter and Elizabeth stared at Walter blankly. Olivia leaned over to ask "what's wrong?"

Peter whispered to her. "He's talking about someone else. I've never seen this camp before in my whole life. I think my mom knows it too."

"It's getting late," said Walter. "Lets get to sleep."

There were two tents, its occupants divided by gender. Neither child was getting a decent sleep. Peter was forced to spend the whole night hearing his father mumble strange equations in his sleep, the same ones he would recite at home. Olivia spent the whole night listening to Elizabeth sobbing quietly. Only Rufus was lucky enough to be sleeping outside of the tents.

The next morning, Walter happily filled up a picnic basket for the kids. He was going to send them off on a little "date" by themselves while he had a private conversation with Elizabeth. Peter carried the basket, Olivia carried Rufus, and they took to a trail until they arrived at the beach of a small lake.

"What do you think your mom and dad are talking about?" asked Olivia. "I hope it's not about sending me back."

"To Jacksonville?" said Peter. "I doubt it."

"I don't think your mom likes me. At least you're her son."

"But I'm not. My mom knows it better than Walter ever will. I think having you here makes her more aware of that fact. Don't let her get to you. I bet we could do just fine without them getting on us."

"Maybe," said Olivia. "But I wouldn't want to."

Peter looked out at the lake. "You miss your home, don't you?"

Olivia petted Rufus. "I miss Rachel and my aunt and uncle. Sometimes, I do miss my mom." She was lost in her thoughts until one particular memory brought a smile to her face. "You know what Rachel said in her letter last week?"

"What?"

"She thinks you're my boyfriend."

"Eww!"

Olivia laughed at the site of Peter's face turning red. "But you kissed me, Peter."

"You told her?"

"No, of course not!" said Olivia. "I'm just saying you did. Unless you don't remember last year, when we tried to run away…"

"I do remember," said Peter. "I just don't want mom and Walter finding out."

"Well," Olivia teased. "We'll just leave that in the secret house where it happened."

"Yeah…but…you know if you ever want to do it again…" Before Peter could finish Rufus started jumping around and barking. Seconds later, the kids could feel vibration from the ground. They tried to stand up only they were wobbling. Birds flew around in masses and the trees were shaking.

They screamed.

Walter and Elizabeth were there in a matter of seconds grabbing the children and pulling them away. Before their very eyes, the water in the lake was disappearing in the center and the trees around the area were sinking in as if the whole area was circling down a drain. The family hurried up the hill.

"Rufus!"

Rufus caught up to the humans with the earth slowly sinking behind him. When the shaking stopped, they returned to see an unusual site, a massive large sinking hole were the lake and the surrounding trees once were just minutes ago and what look out structures of buildings sticking out of the earth.

"Children get back."

Walter went ahead of the trees and upon close inspection he saw the remains of what looked like a large airship. His worst fears were realized as the two universes were now on a slow but certain path to collision.

...

It took a lot of effort on Walter and Elizabeth's part to silence the children on what they witnessed, interrupting them before they could speak, keeping their distance from them as much as possible. The stress was getting to Walter to such degrees that he would spend weeks in Cambridge leaving Elizabeth to manage things at home. Tensions only increased when it was just her and the children. Soon enough, Peter and Olivia would find themselves more on their own than ever and life into the next year would be quiet and uncertain. They had to keep themselves sane through books or just through their own company.

"Out!"

Peter heard yelling down the hallway and saw Olivia running out of his parents' bedroom. She ran past Peter and out the door.

"Olivia?"

She wouldn't stop for him and she was running out into the woods.

"Olivia, stop!"

Peter chased after Olivia until they got to the base of their secret house where she sat there shaking. "Olivia, what happened?"

"I…," she said. "I was just looking for more toilet paper."

"Why would my mom yell at you for that?"

"Because," she cried. "I saw them. There was a bunch of empty orange bottles on her sink. I think she's mad that I saw them."

Peter knew what the bottles meant. "Maybe they're Walter's."

"No…I saw her name on them."

"Olivia…"

"Is she going to kick me out? I didn't mean to. I wouldn't tell anyone."

"I know you wouldn't," said Peter. "I wouldn't either."

"I'm scared, Peter."

He reached out to hold Olivia's hand and they would stay there until sunset. He walked with her back to the house. To their surprise Elizabeth ignored them and nothing else. Olivia would still be there to stay.

But since then Peter and Olivia knew better than to stay out of her way. They even became accustomed to cooking their own meals. Mostly microwave stuff. Sometimes Peter and Olivia would walk to town and did their own shopping and sometimes for Elizabeth. On a few trips Peter would buy and try to sneak bacon into the house without his mom knowing.

...

"Peter…Olivia…we need to talk."

The worst four words they could hear. Olivia feared the worst, that months after finding the bottles she was now going to be kicked out. Or maybe it was because Olivia herself was going to be 13 soon and perhaps Elizabeth did not want to deal with two teenagers in the house.

Olivia shook as she sat on the couch but Peter was by her side, as always, holding her hand. Elizabeth didn't seem angry or stern this time. In fact, she seemed worried…very worried.

"Mom?"

"Peter, there was an incident…at your father's work. I didn't know how to tell you. It was an explosion in the lab about a week ago."

Peter didn't seem at all worried. This was Walter after all. It didn't surprise him that he would do something like that. But Olivia became generally concerned. She cared about Walter even if Peter did not. "Is Dr. Walter okay?"

"He's fine, Olivia. He wasn't hurt, but a woman was killed, one of his assistants. They had to do an investigation and…he was arrested."

"What?"

"Peter, I'm sorry but they're sending him away…you're father he's not coming home ever again. He might be there forever."

"Forever where?"

But Elizabeth turned her eyes away from the children. She didn't want to see the look on their face when she said it "a mental institution, outside of Boston."

"Mom…what are we going to do?"

"I don't know," she said and as she left the children alone, Olivia burst into tears. Peter was there to hug her though his mind was absorbed with far too much uncertainty for their future.

* * *

**In case you're confused, this is a time-passing chapter w/ Peter and Olivia going from age 10 to now age 13. Some dark stuff is gonna happen at the end of the next chapter that I'm both nervous and excited to write. Let's just say if you think things are bad for the kids now then you don't know Fantasy Cat. ;)**


	11. All Alone

**PLEASE NOTE: a few deaths in this chapter that some readers may find disturbing. Just a heads up.**

No decisions were made right away. Months passed on as Elizabeth fell deeper into despair. Peter and Olivia were doing everything they could to help her but soon it got to the point where Elizabeth wouldn't allow for any help…not even from Peter.

"Mom…"

"Oh, stop it Peter. I'm not your mother!"

He was really hurt by that. But knowing that she was drinking and taking medication, he kept it to himself. In the beginning, he was the one trying to convince her of who HE really was. Now it was just so obvious to both of them, that Peter felt like an unwelcome presence…not only in the home…but in this universe. Olivia was the same knowing that at anytime, she could be sent back to Jacksonville. She had gotten so comfortable in Reiden Lake. She thought she had a real family here.

They were spending more time in the secret house, just to get out of Elizabeth's hair.

"Do you miss him? Walter?"

Peter shrugged. "What difference would it make if he were here…other than the fact that my mom wants me to go to high school?"

"High school? But Peter, we already know more than most college students."

"I know that," he said. "My mom just wants a reason for me to get out of the house. I could get a job. You could too. Maybe she'll let you stay by earning some money."

"Who's going to hire teenagers around here, Peter? Especially us?"

Peter sighed. Unfortunately, Olivia was right. They would have to face facts that not only would Peter have to go to school but Olivia may have to finally go home. Elizabeth simply did not have the means to take care of them both all by her lonesome.

…

"It's for you," said Elizabeth.

Olivia was confused. "A phone call. For me?"

"Hold it," said Peter. "Is it a man or a woman?"

"It's a woman," said Elizabeth. "She claims to be your Aunt Missy."

Olivia was stunned. She hadn't heard from her aunt since before she came here. Rachel must have told her she was here. She was the only person she gave any contact information to.

Peter became suspicious but waited in his bedroom while Olivia stayed on the phone with Aunt Missy in the kitchen. They had been talking for nearly an hour when Olivia finally came and sat on his bed. Her face was pale.

"Olivia? What is it?"

"Aunt Missy called about...my mom. She's dying, Peter. It's cancer. She only has about 4 or 5 months left."

"Sorry," said Peter. What else could he think to say?

"It's more than that," said Olivia. "My mom is asking for me. She wants me to come home and see her before she…"

"You can't be serious about this, Olivia. You're talking about the mom who abandoned you after you tried to protect her. She disowned you…"

"I know what she did, Peter! But I…I dunno. A part of me just wants to forget about it and stay here, but I feel like I should go. I haven't seen any of my family in nearly 5 years."

"And what about your stepfather? He's still out there…"

"I can't stay here forever!" Olivia took a deep breath but she knew it wasn't enough to hold back the tears. "Nothing lasts forever, Peter. I know if I go down there, I might not come back."

"Then stay here!" said Peter. "There's no reason for you to go back. We spent years away from our real parents, we can keep going."

"And how would we do that? By running away again? Spending the rest of my life here isn't gonna make me feel better, Peter. Walter is gone. Your mom can't stand me. I don't belong here, Peter and that's just that." She got up and reached for the door.

"You belong with me!"

Olivia froze. "Please, Olivia. You can't leave like this. What if you're right? What if you do never come back? Don't let this be the last time we see each other…please?"

She didn't look at him when he said it but he could hear the desperate plea. "Peter…I don't have much time to decide. I promised to make my decision after my birthday."

And so Peter was force to wait for her fourteenth birthday and another card and then Olivia found herself sitting alone in the darkness of the secret house, with the windows and opening covered. When Peter saw her in there it was clear the choice had been made. "You're going, aren't you?"

Olivia nodded. "She's getting worse."

Peter sighed. "Olivia, we haven't had anyone else for a very long time. Even when Walter was around, you were the only person in my life who would actually listen to me…who would actually believe me. That only makes very lonely or isolated people, or…"

"Or what?"

Feeling nervous, Peter shook his head. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

But Olivia grabbed his and pulled him closer to her…and then she kissed him. She was about to pull back but Peter was not willing to let go. He closed his eyes and the very touch of her lips brought him to the tulips fields where the first met, to the window in the daycare where he saw her for the first time and felt the strangeness sense of longing and attachment, the very moment he fell in love with Olivia.

"I love you, Peter."

"Then let me come with you."

She shook her head. "She needs you here, Peter. I know she's not your real mom but I can't let you leave her alone like this."

"Olivia."

"I'll make it short," said Olivia. "…and then I'll come back. I promise."

…

The day came to take Olivia to the airport. "I can't believe you talked me into taking Rufus with me."

"Well I just don't want you to have to be down there alone. Plus he's toilet trained. He can't make too much of a mess down there."

"Thank you, Peter."

"Don't thank me," said Peter. "Just do what you promised."

As much as they wanted to kiss each other, they knew that Elizabeth was there at the terminal watching them. So Olivia could do no more than a very long and lasting hug until she was forced to let go and finally board the plane.

The whole flight down, Olivia was shaking from many fears: reuniting with family, confronting her mother. Even her stepfather's threat still haunted her. But thinking about Peter, thinking about coming home to him helped her to calm down. She was going to get through this and then she would go back to the closest person in her life.

Arriving in Jacksonville and seeing all those familiar faces from her past was overwhelming. Her aunt and uncle were there but the one that made her cry out with joy to see was Rachel.

"Rachel, you've gotten so big!"

"I'm almost as big as you are."

"She's right you know," said Aunt Missy. "You still looked the same as you did before you left."

"You know, Olivia has a boyfriend."

"Rachel!"

"You do, don't you? That Peter you always write to me about?"

Olivia's face turned red the whole car trip. To her relief, her mother no longer lived at the military base, the house of horrid memories. She and Rachel had moved to a different part of town that was rather rundown. But ever since her mother's illness, they have since been living with her aunt and uncle. Rachel was outside playing with Rufus but Olivia was sitting nervously at the kitchen table trying to work out what to do. She was unsure whether or not to go say hello to her mother right away considering she had been bedridden and sleeping for days.

"Olivia, I know this must be hard for you. From what Rachel has told me, these Bishops sound like a very nice family. How are they doing?"

"They're doing fine," Olivia said though it was far from the truth. No way was she going to tell her aunt that Mr. Bishop was sentenced to a mental hospital or that his wife was having drug and alcohol problems. "You haven't heard from him have you?"

Aunt Missy sat across from Olivia. "He was here."

Olivia froze. "At the house?"

"No, at the hospital. Your mother was there a couple of weeks ago when she took a turn for the worst. She said he came to visit her."

"What for?"

"To sort out some affairs." She assured Olivia. "It's not as bad as you think. They've let us adopt Rachel."

Olivia finally released the breath she had been holding the moment she learned that her stepfather had been here. "Oh thank god."

"The problem is you, Olivia. You're still legally your mother's…and your stepfather's."

"But that's not fair! There's gotta be something we can do."

"Olivia, I've tried everything. But they're still legally married and he became a legal guardian when you and Rachel were very young. They couldn't sign you away for adoption without your consent. I wished I had known when I first called you about your mother's illness. It's been hell just trying to get the papers drawn out for you and your mother has been too ill to do anything about this. All these years she had to lie to Social Services about where you were. Some cock-and-bull about a boarding school in New York just to cover up what happened in that house."

"Are you telling me she's still protecting him? After all this time?"

"Olivia…"

"This can't be happening!"

"It's not too late," her aunt assured her. "Now that you're here you can give your consent and get your mother to sign the papers. If we do those two things now, we may have a better chance in court."

"Can't I just go back to where I was? Back to New York?"

"Olivia, eventually the truth will come out about where you really were all this time. Even I didn't know that your mother was lying. Your sister had been telling me for quite some time that you were living with a family up there but I didn't believe her. She was always one to have an overactive imagination. But she gave me your number after we found out about your mother. I'm so sorry, Olivia. This is the only way. Believe me, I don't want you to have to be adopted by him. I want to keep you and Rachel together."

"So what do I do?"

"Well, first you should go talk to your mother and then I can make arrangements, have someone come in so you could both sign the papers."

"Okay," she said. To Olivia's astonishment, she was heading up the stairs to the bedroom where her mother would lie. Her hand was on the doorknob for a good five minutes before she finally turned it.

Looking at her mother, it definitely looked as if she was on her way to the grave. Her bones were brittle and her veins were clearly showing through her skin. Her hair was thinning out in all a matter of places. This was not how Olivia expected a reunion with her to be like.

"Olivia? Is that you?"

Olivia was soft spoken, still harboring a lot of bitterness but trying not to let it show. "Yeah mom, it's me."

An eerie smile emerged as she spoke with a crackling voice. "I'm so happy you came. Rachel is very happy too." Her eyes kept looking to the side. "I have a gift for you. By the lamp."

Olivia reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a long blue box that rested against the lamp when she opened it up, she was stunned to find a nice gold necklace with a cross pendant. "What is this?"

"Something to protect you and keep you safe," she said. "Something I know I failed to do."

"Mom…"

"Olivia…I was in a terrible place back then and I didn't know what to do. I panicked when you…"

"I'm sorry, mom."

"No, Olivia. I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have never thrown you out. I should have never put the blame on you for everything that went wrong. You were just a little girl. I asked you to come because I've missed you very much and I wanted to tell you I'm sorry before I go." She coughed. "But I'll understand if you don't."

"Mom, I'll forgive you if you let Aunt Missy adopt me...please."

She smiled. "Of course I will. I love you, Olivia." But suddenly she closed her eyes and Olivia knew she wasn't resting.

"Mom?"

Olivia grabbed and arm and felt nothing. It dropped back without any strength or feeling.

"Mom?"

…

The funeral had been quiet and solemn. Olivia was the only one who kept turning her back to the coffin, only because she was searching to see if her stepfather would show up. He never came, not even for the wake. It was only a matter of time though and for days all she could do was cry. Telling Rachel what was happening and why they would have to separate for good was the worst.

At least her aunt and uncle were willing to go to court if necessary but it was going to be a complicated manner with Olivia's mother now deceased and no formal papers allowing for Olivia to be adopted. She was allowed to remain in the care of Aunt Missy. But Olivia pleaded with her to let her go back to New York.

"I'll know I'll be okay if I go back, please Aunt Missy. I promised him I would come back."

"Who's…" She stopped mid-sentence. "Oh…Peter?"

Olivia smiled and nodded. "Please?"

"Okay, but you need to them what's going on. Maybe they'll let you stay until this matter gets settled."

Olivia said, "I know they will."

Hoping to leave within the next couple of days, Olivia spent more time doing some last-minute bonding with Rachel, having more late night sleepovers in her bedroom. "I wish you could stay, Olivia."

"Me too, Rach."

"It's been so weird after you left. I feel like I've been living a strange new life."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm okay," Rachel said. "I know that mom always favored me but I know it wasn't fair Olivia. You're the older one. You the one who should've been loved."

"That's kind of you but...maybe we shouldn't talk about mom anymore." From the hallway, Olivia could hear Rufus whimpering and scratching. "Dammit, I haveta go let Rufus out for a minute."

Olivia hurried with Rufus and led him out to the front door. But getting to the lawn, Rufus started barking wildly forcing Olivia to step outside and see what was wrong. She held on to Rufus before he could run away from the lawn.

"Rufus, what's wrong with…"

She felt a hand and a funny smelling cloth over her mouth and felt herself being dragged away from Rufus. Everything suddenly started to get blurry but she could Rufus barking and trying to follow. But Olivia could see her captor's free hand holding a gun with a funny looking barrel at the end, pointed at Rufus.

After the barking came a loud pop causing Rachel to freeze in terror. She sat in her bed waiting. Everything went silence aside from a car screeching outside but she was too terrified to go see what it was.

10 minutes later, when Olivia nor Rufus came back, Rachel knew she had to face her fears to go check on them. Her aunt and uncle were probably too asleep to hear the strange noises she heard. Rachel knew something was wrong when she noticed the front door had been slightly left open. She opened the door finding no trace of Olivia but let out a blood curdling scream as she found Rufus shot dead in the grass.

…

Peter had been counting the days knowing that at any time, Olivia would hopefully call them to tell him she would be a on a plane home. And even if she wasn't, he would still be more than happy to hear her voice, even if it was just through a rotary.

But things were quieter now at the lake house than he would've liked them to be. He did his best to not bother her mother while at the same time looked after her.

"Mom, you want me to take that trash out now?" He tapped on her bedroom door hoping to get some form of answer from her. "Mom?" He knew she would be outraged but something in him sense something wrong and without a second though, he opened the door...and only got halfway.

He froze at the sight of pill bottles strewn across the floor with their contents spilling out. Walking closer to the bed, Peter could do nothing but stare at his mother lying dead with an empty bottle and more pills by her side. In her hand was a folded piece of paper clearly marked for him. His hands shook as he read the message knowing the words and their intended meaning for him.

_'Na einai kalitero anthropo apo ton patera tou.'_

To see the message outraged him as he tossed the note aside. It meant for him to be a better man than his father. That shouldn't be a problem since the man and woman who stole him and called them his parents have now left him to be all alone in the world.


	12. When Hope is Gone

Peter wasn't going to attend his mother's funeral. Instead he packed his things and scraped together whatever money he had. There was no point in him being here. He was all alone.

But with all of his determination, Peter would hitchhike, sneak onto trains, and take whatever means necessary to travel south to Jacksonville. All the while, he held onto his wallet, not for what little cash that he had but for the pictures he had kept in them, pictures of himself and Olivia in their bittersweet childhood, but always together. He knew he couldn't wait for Olivia to return to him. He had to go to her.

Along his journey, Peter had passed by a couple of high schools and caught a glimpse of the life that he was turning away from, the one his mother was planning for him: a normal life. He could see his teenage peers hanging around casually happy as if being normal was the greatest thing in the world. But as much as he longed for that normalcy, Peter knew it wasn't for him. He had seen many girls along the way. But as beautiful as they were, none of them held a candle to the skinny freckled-faced blond who could cross universes. He had shared his deepest secrets and feelings with Olivia and he knew there was no other human being on earth he could ever have such a connection with.

As he got closer and closer to Jacksonville, his every waking thought was consumed with Olivia. She was all he had left in this world, which only intensified his longing for her. For Olivia had not become just the only girl Peter had and ever could love. He and Olivia were destined to be soulmates.

…

When Peter got to the front steps of the house, he started to feel as if something was wrong but he shook it off. After all, Olivia's mom was sick so of course she would be staying with her Aunt instead. When he knock on the door, a small blond girl about 9 or 10 years old answered the door.

He noted the similarities, the hair and the eyes were so much like Olivia.

"Are you Rachel Dunham?"

The girl got suspicious. "Says who?"

"Says me. I'm Peter Bishop…"

"Peter Bishop? THE Peter Bishop?"

"Yeah?"

A cross being joy and crying, Rachel went up and hugged Peter. "I've always wanted to meet you! She wrote about you all the time."

"I know," said Peter. "You're the one who thought we were a couple."

She laughed.

"So is she here?"

The look on Rachel's face changed instantly.

"What? What's wrong? Is she…"

"Rachel?"

Peter looked up at the woman by Rachel's side. "Are you Aunt Missy?"

"I am," she said. "Rachel, maybe you should go upstairs while I talk to this Peter Bishop alone."

Rachel said nothing but gave Peter a sad look before heading upstairs.

"Come in, Peter." Peter followed the woman into the living room and sat on the couch. The quietness of the place was unsettling and the absence of Olivia was getting to him.

"Where is she? Where's Olivia?"

"Peter, Olivia's mom passed away about a day after she got here. A short time after the funeral, she went to take the dog outside, the one that came with her and…she got kidnapped."

"WHAT?"

"She got taken, right off the lawn outside. He killed the dog too, we buried him in the backyard."

Peter was shaking his head. "This is some kind of joke, right? Just tell Olivia to come down, because this is not funny, okay? My mom just killed herself on her own bed a few days ago and believe, I REALLY wish I was joking about that!"

But when Aunt Missy's face did not change at all, Peter got up. He was nearly trying to pull out his own hair. "God, this can't be happening! And no one even knows who took her?"

"Well that's the worst part, about it. It's clear that her stepfather took her."

"Then someone has to be looking for him right now!"

"They've been looking for him for years. But Peter, he was made Olivia's legal guardian before her mother's death. The police won't recognize it as a custody abduction because he's the one that took her. But they said they'll inquire him about it if they ever do find him."

Peter was crying. "IF they ever find him?"

"I'm so sorry, Peter."

He headed for the door. "I haveta go."

"Wait! Are you going to be alright?"

"I haven't been alright in years. Sorry," he said and he went out the door unaware that Rachel had been watching and listening in the whole time. In truth, he could've stayed and waited for any news. But he felt like his soul had been ripped in half. He had now lost everything and felt he no longer had a place in this world.

…

Using all of her senses, she found her way through the dark. Olivia knew this was risky. She knows her stepfather could come back anytime and she had no idea as to whether it was night or day outside.

Slowly she crept her way across the room in an attempt to reach the storm shelter door. Olivia knew escape wasn't going to be that easy, knowing she would be locked in from the outside. But if she got a better look at the door, then it was a start. She felt the stone steps that would lead up to the door. Having only gotten one knee on the bottom step, she paused when she heard scuffling from above.

It was too late to turn back. The door flew open and Olivia had no time to respond to the light. She knew he was outraged as she attempted to turn and hurry back towards the the back of the shelter.

"I told you what would happen if you come near the door!"

She wasn't going to make it. Olivia turned to the darkest corner of the room, hoping to get around him as he was charging towards her. But the moment she did, she suddenly found herself trapped and suffocating, with dirt everywhere. It only lasted for a fraction of a second and suddenly she fell to the ground.

He grabbed her by the hair and saw all the dirt on her clothes and on the floor. "You're trying to dig out again!"

"No…"

But he completely ignored her. This was the second time she ended up crossing over there and back since she was kidnapped and without a storm shelter in that universe, Olivia would be stuck underground, trapped by dirt, buried alive. Her gift would provide her no means of escape.

She was swung across the room crashing into an old wooden chest that came apart on impact, the rusted old tools that were stored within scratched and cut at Olivia wherever they could. It was miracle she wasn't killed…or maybe not. But now Olivia could only lie there gasping for breath only to be pulled up again. "I warned you I was gonna make you sorry for shooting me. If you're gonna pull this kind of crap on me, you won't be going outside for a very long time, Princess."

She could feel nothing more but being thrown to the floor with the futon nearby. She was forced to crawl back to it on her own. To her relief, Olivia could hear her stepfather turning and exiting the shelter. She knew it meant being left to starve again for another night but at least he would leave her alone to tend to her wounds the best she could.

Curled up on the futon, Olivia's hand reached instinctively for the cross pendant around her neck. Some protection. All it did for her was remind her of how she ended up in this situation to begin with, a reminder that she had lost everything. To keep herself sane, Olivia thought of Peter, but it was a short-lived comfort as she was coming to terms with the idea that she might never see him again.

All her screams and cries had gone unheard and her strength had been worn thin. It wouldn't be long now before what little hope she had left was no more.


	13. Desperate Ways

Like the foolish, heartbroken soul that he was, Peter went through the days, waiting, anticipating for some form of word as to where Olivia could be. But with time passing so quickly, Peter's hopes were slowly dashing.

There was nothing for Peter now and he kept his sanity by wandering to wherever his feet would let him. Settling in one town or another, taking up whatever job could be offered to him before moving on.

In the course of those painful months, Peter had reached puberty. He wasn't so scrawny as he once was. The work that he obtained made him bigger and of a tougher built. Of course knowing his father, he would think he had gotten fat. His world was changing fast than he could accept and his childhood ended sooner than it should've. It also did not help matters that the newspaper headlines were showing strange front page stories such as mysterious black holes developing in New England or mysterious deadly disasters in the cities.

He had found himself closer to home again, in New York City where there were more opportunities for someone like him. But in the process, he also made himself some very seedy connections. He was making a good amount of money for a 15-year-old armed with a fake I.D. But it all for naught. He managed his way into the bars on occasion and took to drinking…whatever it took to take his mind off of the pain. It wasn't helping matter that he was still staring at those pictures he had in his wallet.

"Girlfriend?"

Peter felt a little irritated by the man who was looking over his shoulder. He closed the wallet and sighed, "Doesn't matter. She's gone now."

"What a shame. But you're practically a kid. I'm sure there will be others." But Peter did not want to believe that. He then realized that the man might've realized he was underaged, but he gave Peter an assuring nod. "Relax," he said. "I was hitting the bars myself around your age. Though I wasn't looking half as good as you at the time. My employer can use someone like you. He's been in need of a little more muscle."

"I take it this isn't a Forbes 100 company you're talking me into," said Peter.

The man pulled out his card. "I'd say we're better," he said. "I'm not supposed to give these cards out to just anyone. But if you're ever interested in an actual salary, then give us a call. We'll tell you where to go. Just don't let that card get into the wrong hands." The man handed Peter the business card and then walked out.

Peter put the business card in his wallet but laughed at the idea that he was ever going to need to use it. And what kind of employer calls himself 'Big Eddie' anyway?

He slipped out of the bar and back into the streets. He had enough money for a roach-infested hotel room but to him it just wasn't worth the trouble. He would rather sleep outside tonight anyway. Looking around, Peter couldn't help but feel completely miserable about what his life had now become. The only thing that was keeping him alive at this point was that little speck of hope that Olivia could still be found. And Peter had considered returning to Reiden Lake hoping to see if any word would show up there. At the same time, Peter feared disappointment should he decide to go.

That night, Peter slept under a bridge near the waterways. All the while he had this strange feeling that someone had been watching him since his trip to the bar. Little did he know that just across the street from where he would rest that night, someone was.

…

There was no means of determining time. But Olivia knew she had been living in that storm shelter longer than it seemed. It didn't matter though. She knew that her stepfather had only one goal in mind…to break her.

Sadly it seemed as though he may have succeeded. Being locked away without a source of light had driven her to complete despair. He made it worst by isolating her, only coming down to bring her food or to beat her senseless in a drunken stupor. Sensing they had to be far out in the country, she was the closest punching bag he had on hand.

There was no strength left within her. She never again tried to go near the door, less leave the area surrounding the futon. Although she couldn't see herself in the dark, Olivia knew her body was slowly deteriorating. She could feel the skin sticking to her ribs and the searing pain of fresh cuts and bruises all over her body. The pain became so bad, she closed her eyes and prayed that her stepfather would just beat her all the way to death. She couldn't take it anymore.

Peter had become an illusion in her mind that became short-lived. The thoughts just stopped and Olivia could no longer see, or imagine, or hope for anything. No one was going to come for her. This was her life now, lying on that futon completely devoid of all sense and consciousness.

In her broken mindset, it never occurred to Olivia the idea that things could get much worse. But they did…

She heard the storm door open as she was lying on the futon trying to sleep. It seemed like a typical trip to drop off some food or to change that bucket she was forced to call a toilet. She thought of nothing as she heard him slamming the storm door shut and his footsteps heading back towards the futon…until his entire weight suddenly collapsed on her. He could've crushed her to death had he fallen straight on top of her. She had just enough room to shift herself to one side. She could smell the horrid liquor stench of her stepfather's breath. He had been drinking a lot more than usual and was now on the verge of passing out. Fearing that he would beat her for being anywhere near him once he sobered up, Olivia shifted herself until she was further away, even if it meant having to sleep on the floor and letting her stepfather have the futon to himself.

But her stepfather must've known what she was doing, because he suddenly reached a hand out to pull her back to his side, grabbing the waist of her pants. "Come here."

Olivia would not comply. She knew that something was terribly wrong about all of this. So fought to squirm her way out of his grasp. Her stepfather had one hand trying to pull her pants down. His other hand was tugging and tearing at her shirt. Olivia may have become too physically weak to resist, but she was desperate. She pushed and shoved at him with little success. By some form of miracle, she was able to overpower him for only a moment. While he was still drunk and completely confused, his grip loosened and Olivia managed to crawl over him until she was off the futon.

Her eyes looked to her last hope: the door out of the shelter.

"Get back here!"

She looked to see her stepfather was struggling to get up. This was her only chance.

"Come back here and f**k me!"

Her body was so sore that there was no way she could run, but she limped as fast as she could, knowing that her stepfather was eventually going to catch up to her. She crawled up the steps but and he was already up and heading towards her.

Olivia made it to the top and tried to push the storm doors open but they wouldn't budge. "Let me out," she cried. "Please, let me out!"

Olivia continued to push against the doors, until she felt a strong hand grab her ankle. She screamed until she was suddenly blinded by a bright flash.

* * *

**I didn't want to do it but I was influenced by the last episode to do an evil cliffhanger. So there ya go. You like them anyway, admit it. :)**

**Next chapter: We find out who was following Peter...and oh yeah, find out what happens to Olivia. O_o**


	14. The Way Back to Each Other

Olivia was now lying flat in the mud with a huge storm bearing down on her. Her mind was drawing blanks between getting chased by her stepfather in the shelter and then ending up here. She couldn't recall ever getting the shelter doors to open. Her clothes were torn in several places and she was missing a shoe, but from what she didn't know. All that she knew was that flash of light was just lightening and the sudden boom that followed it thunder. For now, Olivia was too exhausted to do anything other than lie in the mud.

Eventually, she realized that her stepfather could be nearby or looking for her. Olivia might as well take this opportunity to keep moving for a chance of escape now that she was outside, even if she was in a horrible state with no recollection of how she got there.

She found herself stumbling through the forest in the cold dark night. In the course of an hour, the rain had died and a fog set in. It didn't matter to Olivia where she was going however. She had no real destination until finally she could see a strange orange light through the dense fog. Making her way towards it, the orange light soon began to spell out a word: DINER.

Not caring for her state, Olivia struggled her way towards the neon sign. She could even hear the music from within pushing her to keep going until finally her muddy hands were on the door and she pushed through…only to suddenly collapse inside of the diner.

A few customers inside were shocked at the sight of this skinny girl (with mud all the way up to her chest) who suddenly entered the restaurant and collapsed on the floor. A waitress rushed over to check her pulse.

"Oh my god."

"Call an ambulance."

But before anyone could do anything, they heard a sudden groan. The waitress looked down at Olivia who was shivering. "Peter…call Peter."

"What's that honey?" asked the waitress. "You want us to call Peter? Peter who, dear?"

"Peter…Bishop."

There was a strange silence in the diner. "She didn't say what I think she said."

"Forget the ambulance," said the waitress. "You better call 7-1-1."

…

Sleeping under a bridge did not bode well for Peter and he was soon up and walking the streets again with the rest of strange ones who roamed New York City at night.

What he didn't expect however, was for a slick black Bentley to slow down along the street that Peter was walking on and pull up to him. A man in the passenger seat rolled down his window. "Peter Bishop? We'd like for you to come with us. Someone wants to see you."

"Tell them to go screw themselves," said Peter as he turned away and kept walking.

"Yeah, well what if I were to tell you this someone wants to help you find Olivia Dunham?"

Peter froze. "But how do you…"

"Just shut up and get in."

Peter did exactly what the man said. There were no words between them as the car made their way into the heart of Manhattan infront of a tall slick skyscraper. Peter was led by the man to an elevator which took them all to the way to the top and down a long strange white hallway.

They then turned a corner. "Wasn't easy but we found him, Ms. Sharp."

"Thank you," she said. "You may leave us."

Peter was led to sit on a chair to sit infront of this intimidating woman who looked awfully familiar to him but he just couldn't remember from where and when.

"You don't remember me, do you, Peter?"

"No, but you seem to know me, and you know about Olivia…"

"I'm Nina Sharp. I was friend of your mother and father. I was quite stunned to learn that both you and Olivia both went missing after I was informed of your mother's death. I don't think your father would've approved of you running off like that. You could get into all sorts of trouble and you're far too young to have your life thrown away so carelessly like that."

"I couldn't care less what Walter would think. He's not my real father."

"Peter…"

"I know about the two universes and I know he dragged my ass from my real home…over there."

She smiled. "I always knew you were clever enough to figure it out on your own."

"You said you could find Olivia?"

"And I already have my best people on the job. But for now, I need you to stay right here at Massive Dynamic until she's found."

Peter was starting to get suspicious. "What for?"

"I'm afraid the only thing I can tell you for now is that I'd like to send you down to my medical ward to do a few examinations and checkups."

Peter laughed. "Are you crazy? What is this place? I'm not letting a bunch of weird doctors check me for some reason you can't tell me about."

"If you feel that way," said Nina. "Then I can get on the phone with my associates and tell them to call off the search for her."

He stood up. "No!"

Nina smiled. "Exactly as I thought. And believe me, Peter. I want her found safe and alive as much as you do." She pressed a button at her desk, and a woman in a lab coat entered the office. "You may take Peter to the medical ward for examination now."

But Peter continued to remain cautious and suspicious as he was being led out of the office. He was barely complying but only because he wanted to believe so badly that this might he his one and only chance to be reunited with Olivia again.

…

The moment the Secretary heard "mysterious girl found in woods, calling out for Peter Bishop", he quickly arranged for the strange Fringe case to be brought by airship to Liberty Island immediately.

The girl was cleaned up and then given a bed in the medical ward but the room was dimly lit.

"Have we identified the girl yet?" asked the Secretary.

"Not yet. The I.D. computer seems to be having trouble."

"And what about her injuries?"

"It looks like 1st degree malnutrition, dehydration, cuts and abrasions throughout most of her upper body and a few minor fractions. Looks like an abuse case. We have to keep her in a darkened area. Her eyes can't take on much light."

The Secretary contained the fury that was building up within in as he dismissed the doctor and he was left alone. He pulled up a chair to get a closer look. She did look like her. There was no doubt this was the girl, the same girl that revealed to him the existence of another universe. It must've been a truly horrible universe if they treat their children in such a state. He did not want to think if Peter looked the same as well.

"Olivia?"

The girl groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. "Dr. Walter?"

The Secretary was taken aback by the name. "Yes?"

"Where am I?"

"In the hospital wing. We're getting your injuries treated, my dear."

"Where's Peter?"

The Secretary knew that was one question he could not answer and Olivia caught on to his hesitation. Her eyes looked to him and she remembered…Walter was supposed to be in a mental institution.

"You're…you're not him!"

This wasn't Dr. Walter. And the realization caused the beeping of the machines to go beserk and catch fire. In the midst of the chaos, Olivia jumped out of the bed and ran as fast as her injured self could take her. The Secretary and other doctors sounded the alarm while trying to pursue her as smoke build up around them.

Olivia managed to find a hallway that was getting dark. Little did she know that her fears and confusion were only causing more strange events to happen, increasing the chaos, as she fought her way through to find some sort of exit before someone grabbed her. Everything around her was starting to fade the moment she found an exit door and pushed through and a light blinded her.

_SCREECH!_

The service vehicle stopped and the worker hurried over to find a skinny blonde child in a medical gown on the ground, not moving. "Holy sh*t." A couple more people came by. "She just came out of nowhere."

"What's a kid like her doing on this side of the island? Did she wander off from the tour group?"

The driver scratched his head. "I dunno. Just call 9-1-1, dammit."

…

Nina pulled out a drawer from her desk, which contained a flat steel box. She got the proper key to unlock it and inside the steel box was a large yellow envelope. It was the same large yellow envelope that mysterious appeared under her door just a few weeks ago and when she saw the contents inside, she knew it was from William Bell and she knew she had to find Peter and Olivia and bring them back together right away.

What was inside that envelope could change everything for two universes at war.

_RING!_

She picked up her phone. "This is Nina."

"Olivia's been found. She's being lifted to a Jersey hospital."

"Then see to it that she's brought to Massive Dynamic before they identify her. Is that clear?"

Nina then hung up, and gave a sigh of relief. She closed the steel box and the drawer once more. The mysterious envelope of destiny will just have to wait until she was certain that there was still hope to fulfill it.

* * *

**Will Peter and Olivia be reunited? And what's in the mysterious envelope that Nina has? The answers to both questions in the next chapter.**


	15. Reunited in Destiny

Peter had gone through what seemed like a typical physical examination, though he couldn't be sure. Ever since he was brought to this world, Peter had never seen or visited a doctor. Walter always took care of his medical needs. But he couldn't trust what Nina Sharp and her medical assistants were doing either. They drew blood, collected DNA from practically everywhere on him and even asked for a semen sample. He was certain something was off and abnormal about all of this, especially when he was put through a CATSCAN.

Afterwards he was left sitting on a table in one of the medical rooms for hours, just waiting until he was close to being driven mad. But finally a female doctor came in.

"We just have one question to ask you, Peter Bishop," said the doctor. "Have you yet had any sexual relations?"

Peter's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell kind of question is that?"

"Just information I've been ordered to gather on you. Now answer the question: have you or have you not had any sexual relations?"

Peter did not feel comfortable about sharing any personal information like that at all. Besides, it's not as if he hadn't fancied the idea. He just thought that one day he could've done with her…with Olivia. The thought clearly upset him knowing the reality of the current situation. He sighed and said "no…no I have NOT had any sexual relations."

The doctor jotted the note down on her clipboard. "Is there anything else you need from me?" Peter asked.

"Nope. That's pretty much it," the doctor said. "You can change back into your regular clothes but don't try and sneak out. There's a guard by the door. I'll have Nina come get you when she's ready."

…

The helicopter that was carrying Olivia had been rerouted to the rooftop of Massive Dynamic in the heart of Manhattan. Nina ordered her assistants to take Olivia downstairs to a medical room, just doors away from the room Peter was waiting around in at that very moment.

Olivia slowly opened her eyes to a group of doctors that were examining her. She thrashed her arms at them. Again, she was screaming the bright lights in the room. "Get off me!" But she was held back by the needles that pierced her skin and a newly placed cast on her leg. The heart monitor beeped rapidly while the doctors stepped back trying to figure out what to do.

"I don't belong here," she screamed. "I wanna go back to my world!"

Fortunately, Nina entered the room. "Olivia, calm down. It's okay. You're back in your universe."

Olivia's eyes darted all around the room. Nothing looked friendly or familiar in here. "How do you know? Where am I? What am I doing here?"

"Olivia, you were found on Liberty Island and I had you brought here for your own safety. I promise you're safe here. Your stepfather can't find you here."

And just the very mention of that man made Olivia recall all the terrible events that brought her to this point. She cried knowing that she was lost with uncertainty of what had happened to her and what was happening to her now.

"Olivia, can you let the doctors check on you?"

She looked at the labcoats and then at Nina. Something about this woman was off about her. Olivia had a good intuition regarding people. Why was she brought here? This clearly did not look like a hospital. She shook her head. "Who are you? Please…let me out of here."

"Olivia." Nina turned to a doctor and gave him the signal to give Olivia a sedative. "We just need to know..."

"No! I said let me out of here!" The anger and fear led to a rapid increase in Olivia's heartbeat. The monitor was now heating up and creating smoke. Other machines in the room began to spark and break but unlike in the other universe, the doctors were able to overpower Olivia and she was given the sedative putting her to sleep. Normalcy returned to the room quickly.

"Have her examined while she's still out," said Nina. "Given the circumstances of her disappearance, we need to know for sure." She left allowing the doctors to do their job.

…

Meanwhile, Peter could hear the screaming and yelling from his room and tried to investigate only to find someone guarding his door. That doctor wasn't kidding. _'What the hell?'_ he thought. Why was he being kept in? Whatever the situation was Peter found himself waiting in that room…for 3 whole hours. In the course of that time, Peter changed back into his street clothes and started demanding to know what the heck was going on.

Finally, as Peter got that urge to start a fight with the man guarding the doorway, Nina finally came in, with a glowing smile on her face. "There's someone here to see you." She led Peter to another floor where a door stood leading to an apartment inside of Massive Dynamic. Peter went in alone. He didn't know why the lights in the place were so dim, until he turned a corner and entered a bedroom.

Sitting there at the edge of the bed was a ghost…or she might as well be. The hospital gown she wore could not hide the lack of flesh on her, or the sea of aging bruises that ran up and down her body. Her skin was so pale you could see everything within and her hair was much longer and very unkempt. But it was her eyes that gave everything away. The spark was gone, replaced by a haunted reminder of the past months that she had been lost, but he recognized her all the same.

And when she looked up and recognized him, she smiled. "Peter?"

He burst into tears. The sound of his name on her lips had overwhelmed him with so much joy. He sat on the bed by Olivia looking at her for the longest time until he finally embraced her. "Oh my god. Is it really you?"

"Yes," Olivia moaned. "It's me." The pain from Peter's hug was getting to her and Peter backed off regretfully. "Oh god, I'm sorry, Olivia. I didn't…"

"It's okay."

The happiness and joy at their reunion was dying down as Peter was taking a good look at Olivia's reckoned state. "What happened to you?"

She looked down at the floor. "He did it…I can't remember…"

"Olivia." Peter wiped away the tears from her eyes. "You don't have to worry about him anymore. You're safe now. I'm here."

"How long was I gone?" she asked.

"More than six months."

But Olivia was still shaking and sobbing. "He killed Rufus."

"I know," said Peter. "I went down to Jacksonville to see you. My mom…she died."

Olivia looked up. "Oh, Peter. I'm so sorry. I didn't keep my promise to come back…"

"That's not your fault, Olivia. Don't you ever blame yourself for that."

"But what's gonna happen now?"

"I don't know," he said. He pulled her close to him and let her head lean against his chest. Still, he could feel her fragile form shaking like a leaf in his arms. "Let's wait till you get better, okay? You're all I have left now. I don't want to lose you again. I love you, Olivia."

…

Late into the night, Nina decided to check the security monitors. Guards were still standing outside of the apartment where Olivia and Peter would be resting for the night. They would be happy enough being together again that they would remain unaware that Nina was holding them up in that apartment…but for good reason.

An assistant entered her office with a couple of files. Nina had been anticipating this. "So," she asked. "Did they find anything?"

The assistant shook her head. "Nothing," she said. "They're both still pure."

Nina gave a sigh of relief. She couldn't let herself slip up like that again. "We'll make sure we have them both in our sights this time. I want them tracked at all times. They're not to leave this building without my knowledge. Is that understood?"

The assistant nodded and hurried out to carry out the orders. Nina opened the drawer with the steel box and had once again pulled out the secret envelope. Completely alone she could now look at the contents that were for her eyes only.

Inside the envelope was an aged sheet of paper, a page from a long lost relic. The page was scattered with DNA sequences but in the middle was a sketch of a young teenage couple in the nude. Their bodies were intertwined in one another in lovers' embrace. Below the waists, the sketch faded away to reveal large circles, massive waves of energy that could envelope the earth.

On the back of the paper, there was a small note in the corner.

_'Purity will ensure a maximum unleash of power. –W.B.'_

William Bell. If only he was in this universe right now to confirm what Nina believed he was trying to tell her. It was no coincidence that Olivia would come to encounter Peter Bishop and eventually grow up with him. It was destined for them both. Because of their unique properties and circumstances, they were a perfect match for each other.

The page did not lie. The faces of the young couple in that drawing were the very image of Peter and Olivia. Their young love was the very thing that could save this universe. They just have to take that next step.

* * *

**Oooooooh is right folks. Lulz. **

**I'm slowly drifting towards "OMG-I-dunno-where-the-fudge-this-story-will-go-next" phase. Okay maybe not for the next chap but for the chaps following yes. You're welcome to PM me with ideas. It's gonna be a long summer so I'll take anything. Me love you lots. **


	16. Ecstasy, rated M

Peter and Olivia got to enjoy their reunion in bliss. They remained in the apartment together, undisturbed, except for when Olivia had to go visit the medical ward as part of her recovery. But she wasn't at all cooperative. She didn't feel comfortable about these doctors at all, no matter what their true intentions were. Olivia had grown up with a good intuition about people and was usually right about them.

Her suspicions got worst a few days later. She woke up in Peter's arms, as she hoped to be custom. Yet she felt like a burden to him for wanting to sleep with a light on, only to wake up in the middle of the night to sleep terrors. But that night they woke up to find a big red spot on the sheets and similar stain between Olivia's legs. She felt both ashamed and terrified. The bleeding had started sometime while she was in that goddamn cellar allowing her stepfather to punish her for constantly staining the futon.

Peter looked upon it with a sort of sadness, another sign that the past six months had changed them and killed their innocence too soon. He consoled Olivia, assured her that she did nothing wrong, and then called for someone to change the bed. Olivia noticed that the maid was snooping around during her entire time in the apartment and was even taking notes on a notepad.

Since then, Olivia became very resistant. She wouldn't eat half of the food that was being brought to her and she wouldn't let anyone touch her to treat the cuts and wounds on her body. The only person she trusted was the only familiar face around. Peter found himself becoming responsible for Olivia's recovery and assisting with her needs.

"Are you sure?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said. "I trust you."

"If I do this, then will you promise to eat something afterwards?"

"I don't like that porridge looking stuff they keep giving me. It's yellow and sick. It looks like puke."

Peter laughed. "Well, come on. You have to give a chance if you want to get better."

She turned her back to Peter and removed her shirt, then took to the bed lying flat on her stomach. But Peter was too shaken by what he saw. Her beautiful skin had been completely marred. Whatever was not bruised was cut or punctured. Streaks of red ran up, down, and across her back, signs that she had no doubt received beltings. Until now he had no idea the true extent of what Olivia went through during her six-month disappearance. He grabbed some medical cream but was shaking nervously, fearing that just the slightest touch could kill her. Olivia was still extremely fragile. Peter applied just a small amount and she instantly flinched, struggling with all her might to not let the pain get to her but she let out a whimper anyway.

"Sorry…"

"I'm okay," she said. "It hurt more when I got that."

Peter was hesitant. "I know you don't remember much but…do you know what happened to him?"

"I crossed over," she said. "While I was trying to get out of there, I crossed over and I didn't know where I was. I'm sorry. That's all I can remember."

"It's fine, Olivia," he said attempting to be calm while holding in the rage. There was no doubt if Olivia's stepfather was still alive, he would see to it that he never touched Olivia ever again. He would kill him if he had the chance.

Olivia then asked, "Do you think we could…get out of here?"

"What?"

"I don't like it here."

"Seriously? Liv, we have everything we could ever want here and you have doctors who are trying to help you."

"Do you trust her?"

"Nina Sharp? To be honest: not a whole lot."

"It's just, I think something's wrong, Peter."

"Maybe so," said Peter. "But where will we go?"

"Home," said Olivia. "I want to go home."

"Jacksonville?"

"No," she said. "I meant _our_ home."

Reason failed over Olivia's request. Peter could not deny that he wanted to go back to Reiden Lake just as much as Olivia did.

But they had to wait another week till Olivia no longer needed the leg cast. After that, they would plan their escape. They knew a guard was standing watch in the hallway outside making them feel more like prisoners in Nina's corporation. They waited until the evening and then Peter opened the apartment door.

"What do you need?" asked the guard.

"Oh well we were just wondering if we could use the stairways for a few minutes. The doctors said Olivia needs to do some stair climbing to help her leg get better."

"I'd have to go with you," said the guard. And he followed Peter and Olivia to the doorway to the stairwell. Suddenly, the light from above dropped from the ceiling and struck the guard. Peter and Olivia quickly rushed down the stairs.

"I don't think that was enough to slow him down," said Peter.

"I couldn't do anything else," said Olivia. "I can't do everything with my abilities."

"Do you think you could try and turn off the security cameras before we're spotted?"

Olivia tried but instead she caused all the lights in the building to flicker and by the time they got to the ground floor, they were spotted. Peter swung at a few men who tried to grab them and successfully they made it out an exit through the cafeteria.

By the time the guards ran out of Massive Dynamic to catch up with them, the two teens had disappeared into the streets of Manhattan. The nighttime proved to be an advantage as Peter and Olivia slipped into a taxi headed for the bus stations without anyone's notice.

…

Peter guided Olivia off the bus when it stopped infront of the welcome sign to Reiden Lake. "Hope you don't mind a walk," he said. They walked for about a half-hour when Olivia's face started to lit up. She recognized the familiar trees along the pathway and soon they could see the Bishop family home hidden beneath a jungle of overgrown grass.

But to both of their disappointments, the windows were boarded up and a large Keep Out sign was stationed in the front yard. Even the walls were starting to mold. They went up to the front door anyway and with sure luck, Peter found a key hidden in its usual spot under the porch bench and unlocked the door. "It still works," said Peter. "Come on."

They entered the house and couldn't believe how much changed in half a year. Some portraits and knick-knacks still hung on the walls but almost everything else was either in tarps or boxed up. Cobweb and dust build-up were only adding to a now lifeless home.

Olivia went upstairs to her bedroom to find her bed stripped clean and all of her toys and photos in a box. The Cabbage Patch doll Peter got her for her 10th birthday stuck out on top. She wept wishing for the clock to turn back to the early years before Walter was sent away…before she knew her mother was dying. She made the mistake of going back to Jacksonville. It was the end of a life that she couldn't go back to.

Peter came in and reached out his hand to her. "Olivia, come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To the one place that I know hasn't changed." They walked out the back door of the house through the trees. It wasn't long before they came upon the ladder of the secret house. Aside from some foliage that found it's way inside, the secret house inside and out remained perfectly intact. Everything was left where it was before Olivia left for Jacksonville.

"We use to share everything here," she said. And it was true. This was the place where Peter admitted to being from another world, where they shared their first kiss. This was where Olivia told Peter she loved him.

Peter corrected her. "Almost everything." He took Olivia into his arms and they kissed deeper than they ever had in the past. Olivia took a breath. "But everything's changed," she said. "I don't know what we do now."

"We move forward," said Peter. "It's all we can do."

"Only if I can be with you."

He kissed Olivia letting his hands move to the hem of her shirt. In a fluid loving motion he pulled it off of her. She voluntarily helped him as he begin to slowly strip her of all her clothing.

He didn't need to ask her if she was ready. They had been in love with each other since they were children. Now their hormonal drives ached for something deeper, a greater expression of that love…a chance to share their bodies with each other.

"Olivia…"

"I'm not pretty," she said. She tried to be humorous about it but there no hiding the bruises and the scaring still present on her naked form and she felt ashamed.

"Look at me, Liv," said Peter. "You're beautiful…and you were meant to be here with me. Do you trust me?"

Olivia smiled and with a new sense of confidence she reached her hands out for Peter's clothes. Her desire intensified as she begun to notice for the first time that Peter was not the scrawny boy she once knew. He had matured into a young attractive man. Still, he was all she ever wanted. Even when Walter first taught her about this, she knew she wanted to save herself for Peter.

As for Peter, who had never fallen for another girl, he knew at this very moment that Olivia was his to love forever.

The cold did nothing to hinder the aching in their bodies. Peter leaned Olivia onto the sleeping bag. Remember what his father taught him, he thrust into Olivia not knowing where it would lead for them.

The moment Olivia felt Peter inside of her, a strange euphoric feeling took control. It was if the walls around her were opening up. Not only was Peter glimmering but so was everything around him and she started feeling light as a feather. Mentally, there was nothing but the want. She wanted more. She wanted him.

"Don't stop," she gasped. "Don't stop."

With each gentle thrust, Olivia was on a greater high. Little did they know that outside of their wooden sanctuary, the earth was slightly shaking and as far as New England all the power and electricity began to function erratically.

"I love you, Olivia." Peter thrust harder. "I love you." Olivia began to moan even louder never realizing the strange wind outside being produced by her own passions. Her surroundings were now a blur of just about everything and anything she could possibly imagine. And still she wanted Peter to go faster. They both seemed in a trance as an unusual force of energy was slowly building up around them. The closer they got, the stronger the energy.

…

_Elizabeth was being woken up by a strong wind. She didn't recall a storm in the weather report. Unless she closed that window, she wasn't going to get any sleep. Yet just as she got out of her bed, a sudden jolt ran beneath her feet like a super quick earthquake. Just a millisecond later the glass in her bedroom window burst._

_She stayed low to the ground, quite terrified at what had just happened. It was a massive unusual burst but surprisingly nothing more. She couldn't believe what had just happened but all signs led to one thing…a Fringe event._

_There was no other choice. She would have to call her ex-husband, the Secretary._

…

Peter and Olivia were still gasping for air, their bodies still lingering from the experience of their first unified orgasm. Walter never informed them about this unusual feeling. Long after Peter pulled out, the feeling remained strong, like a beautiful addictive high.

"Do you feel that?" asked Olivia.

He smiled. "I can't even think. My mind is all over the place."

"Mine too. But it's okay. I feel free and light."

"I feel you," said Peter. "Inside of me. It's like I can feel you under my skin."

"Me too."

They been so lost in the feeling that Peter had to blink when he noticed waves of gold infront of his vision. "Liv…your hair. It's flowing!"

Olivia sat up and the back of her hair started to rise up. There wasn't a single breeze in the air to support I and neither of them felt any sort of electricity flowing through them. She turned her head slightly to see her long golden strands moving like a flag stretching out as they were capable.

Her eyes then looked around the secret house. "Peter?"

He turned to see what had Olivia so stunned. If seeing her hair flowing on its own wasn't enough, other objects in the secret house began to levitate before their very eyes. Even Peter's old telescope was slowly rising to the ceiling.

Peter smiled. "I didn't know you could do that."

The objects almost dropped to the floor but suddenly, something in Olivia's mind clicked. She couldn't believe what her mind was doing as she willed the objects slowly back to the ground and then her hair slowly fell back onto her shoulders.

But Olivia wasn't as thrilled or fascinated as Peter was. If anything, she was shaking. "Me neither."

The moment Olivia had felt ecstasy, her being became limitless. She was no longer aware of reality because she knew she could now control it, bend it to her own will…

…and it frightened her.

* * *

**You read right: Olivia's abilities just got real now! LOL. And I apologize if you weren't given ample warning about the smut as I want to keep my ANs at the bottom of each chap. Thanks for the reviews. Please keep em coming.**


	17. A New Hiding Place

"It's happened."

Nina watched from her office window as the city struggled with getting the power grid functioning again. Half of the city was now without power due to an unexpected energy burst but Nina knew better. Peter and Olivia had coupled with one another though the result was much stronger than Nina had anticipated. It only proved just how strong Olivia's abilities were to create such a powerful response from sex. And if what William Bell had been trying to tell her was true, then Olivia had now become far more powerful than ever.

She then made the call. "Send someone out to find the source of that energy burst. It's the only way we're going to find them and bring them back."

…

They had returned to the house many hours ago. Olivia woke as morning came, clutched in Peter's arms like a child's stuff toy. She was wearing his sweatshirt, which was big enough to nearly cover her entire body. She could see Peter stirring from sleep and as his head turned up, he opened his eyes to the beautiful and familiar touch of his nosetip touching hers.

He smiled. "Mmm…Olivia."

"I still feel it, Peter," she said. "That feeling like we're sharing the same body."

"If that's so, then you must be hungry. Cause that's what my body's feeling right now."

They went to the kitchen together while Peter searched through the cabinets. "Sh*t, someone must've cleaned out this place good while I was gone. I think they were trying to sell this house."

"Then why is it still abandoned like this?"

"Guess all the weird stuff that goes on around here scared the real estate market away." With the fridge and the cabinets emptied of anything edible, Peter gave up. "Damn. Looks like they shut off the power grid to the house. We wouldn't be able to cook anything anyway."

There was a sudden clinking and Peter turned around. He was bewildered to find that the kitchen table was now filled with a large array of breakfast foods: eggs, toast, milk, juice and pancakes. Olivia was sitting at the table shaking again.

"Olivia? What did you do?"

"I…I was hungry and I was just thinking about how your father used to make us breakfast…I…"

Peter looked over the table. "Is this stuff eatable? I mean, where did it come from?" He grabbed a fork that was on the table and picked up a bite of the pancakes that magically appeared out of nowhere. He tasted them fearing something off. Instead, he tasted something familiar. "I don't believe it," he said. "These are Walter's pancakes! Olivia, you can make food appear now?"

"I don't know, Peter. I don't understand this."

"Hey, it's nothing to be scared about," said Peter. "It's no different from when you could cross universes or start fires, right?"

She shrugged. "I guess so."

"And hey…maybe you could use your new superpowers to teleport us back to your Aunt's. I'm sure she's worried about you."

"Peter…I don't think I can go back."

"What? Why?"

"My stepfather," she said shaking. "He could still be out there."

"He doesn't know where you are, Olivia."

"Exactly. I can't lead him back to my Aunt's. He killed Rufus to get to me. He could do it again. I know he could. I can't do that to them. I can't do that to Rachel. They all might think I'm dead already. I think it's better this way."

Peter wrapped his arms around her. "Olivia…"

"I feel safer with you, Peter. Do you think we could live here?"

"Well that's hard to say," said Peter. "How long can the two of us live here off of food that you have to conjure up in your head and no electricity and plumbing?"

Almost on cue, the kitchen lights came on and the sound of running water could be heard from the kitchen sink faucet. Olivia smiled.

"You did that?" asked Peter.

"I guess I did," she said.

…

They were unsure of what they wanted to do. For now they remained in the house keeping low and quiet to ensure that no on knew that they were here. But they knew they couldn't hide here forever. Eventually Peter and Olivia would have to go into hiding elsewhere, preferably someplace far away from everyone where they could live together happily and peacefully. Olivia's abilities would help them survive at the house for now.

But days later, her abilities began to take an unusual turn. Peter woke up in the middle of the night to find Olivia sleepwalking. For as long as he knew Olivia, Peter knew that Olivia never sleepwalked. He found her in the hallway heading toward the stairs, and fearing that she would trip and fall, Peter quickly ran to grab her…

…and her eyes widened in fright.

"Olivia? Wake up!"

She was gasping. "Peter? What am I…?"

"You were sleepwalking, Olivia." He hugged her very tight. "You could've been hurt."

"I was dreaming…," said Olivia. "…of the other side. I saw your mother over there in this house."

"Shh. Let's go back to bed."

"I feel like such a burden to you," she said. "With everything that's happened and the things that I can do…"

"You couldn't be more wrong, Livia. The only place I want to be right now and forever is with you."

As he held her, Peter could see a light seeping through the boarded windows of their house. The realization that something was wrong eventually got through to him. He and Olivia went to the nearest window and could hear noises. They lifted up the board to look outside and saw a convoy of vehicles pulling up to the house…bearing the Massive Dynamic logo. Men were coming out of the vehicles armed with guns.

"Oh god."

Peter pulled Olivia away from the window. "We're trapped."

They could hear the men outside trying to pry open the door. Time was running out.

But somewhere in the midst of the terror Olivia was feeling a strange grayish light began to spread in one corner of the room, and everything that lied beyond the light looked unusual yet familiar to Peter.

"Olivia…is that?"

"It's the other side."

"But…"

"We don't have a choice, Peter. We have to go."

Peter took Olivia's hand and together the two of them walked through the gray light until they were blinded and fell to the floor with a thud.

They were now in Peter's bedroom, which had been left untouched before his kidnapping.

A voice called out from the hallway. "Who's there?"

Once again, they were trapped in the bedroom. As the footsteps from outside began to approach the room, Peter shielded Olivia into a corner.

"Show yourself."

Peter only crept slowly as the woman entered the room, arming herself with just a vase. But as she looked at Peter, she froze. The vase fell out of her hand and fell to the floor, but she was still at a loss for words.

"Mom? Mom, it's me. Peter."

"Peter?"

The woman approached Peter and recognized the little boy she lost years ago…just by looking into his eyes. "Oh…Peter!"

She hugged him very tight. "It's okay, mom."

Elizabeth then noticed the blond girl in the corner of the room. "Mom…this is Olivia."

"But how?" asked Elizabeth. "How did you two get here?"

The pieces from the broken vase began to levitate in the air and slowly remerged themselves to be the same vase it was before breaking and then was safely set back on the ground. Elizabeth could see Olivia's intense focus on the base.

"That's just one of many things she can do," said Peter.

…

It was the first time in years that Peter had bacon the way his mother cooked it for him as a child as he recounted for Elizabeth the things that had happened to him over the years.

"Olivia was the only person in that universe who was willing to believe me…," said Peter. "…about where I was from and who my real parents. She never hid anything from me unlike them."

"I'm so sorry, Peter."

Olivia quietly listened while Peter told Elizabeth the circumstances surrounding his alternate mom's death.

"You've been through a lot, Peter."

"I know about you and dad. I know you two got divorced."

Elizabeth looked over at Olivia knowing of her universe crossing abilities. She must have learned of the divorce on one of her visits here. "It was a mutual separation, Peter. We don't blame you for it."

"I know, mother."

"Then we should call your father and tell him. He'll be thrilled to see you…"

"Mom, wait!"

Elizabeth had her hand hovering over the phone. "What's wrong, Peter?"

"It's just that…I want to know that he won't harm Olivia."

"But Peter…"

"Please mom. If he wants to see me then I need his word that he won't hurt her."

She looked at Peter. "I'll go and tell him in person. It might be better that way. But you two will have to stay here and keep quiet. Don't let anyone in until we know what to do." Elizabeth left the kitchen to get ready to leave. When she was gone Olivia tugged at Peter's shirt. "Thank you."

"I sensed it," he said. "When my mother mentioned my father, I felt it. You're scared, aren't you?"

She nodded.

"Olivia, you know I would never let anyone hurt you. Not even my father. You don't deserve to be treated differently just because you came from another world. That's not your fault."

"But I could've brought you home, Peter."

"That's not your fault either."

"So…are we staying here?" she asked him.

"We'll see if it's worth it," he said.

…

At the office of the Secretary of Defense there was a feeling of tense silence and disbelief of what his wife had just informed him. He sat in his chair in deep thought with Elizabeth across from him.

"And the girl…you're sure it's _her_?"

"Yes, Olivia. She looks like the child in the drawing."

"Then he's been with her…all this time." The Secretary smirked. "It seems our son found himself a 'distraction' in that other world."

"What are you going to do?"

The Secretary turned to her. "I won't be doing anything but you, Elizabeth, will return home and tell the children that you w ere unable to contact me at the present." He pulled something out of his drawer. "Humor them for as long as you can. I need you to collect blood samples from them." He placed the small device into his wife's hand.

"But Walter…"

"We need to know more about this girl, Elizabeth. How do we know she's not lying to us? We need to know what these abilities are and how she got back to this world with Peter. You say he's protecting her? Then we must know why."

"And why Peter?"

"In case they did something to him," said Walter. "Then we'll have reason to take our revenge on that world."

* * *

_**I planned for a lot more in this chapter but this turned out to be longer than I thought. The next chap will be full of gut-punch crazy. So brace yourselves.**_


	18. Unexpected

Elizabeth told the children that she had yet to get in touch with the Secretary upon her return. So Peter and Olivia continued to stay low in this world's version of the house they grew up in together.

It seemed calmed and peaceful here. Peter's mom wasn't losing herself to drugs and alcohol, and from what Peter learned of his father, the Secretary, he seemed like a much saner man than the one who kidnapped him. Elizabeth was surprisingly kind to Olivia giving her plenty to eat and caring for her as crossing over must've made her feel a bit ill.

"Maybe we should take Olivia outside and get her some fresh air," said Peter.

"I'm afraid there isn't much you can do outside," said Elizabeth.

"What do you mean?"

Elizabeth led Peter and Olivia to the back porch where they sat. They could look out and see a giant amber dome not too far away. "About a week ago, there was an unusual surge of energy that came from a tree in the woods. It blew out the windows. Your father brought the Fringe team out here, but fortunately there was no need to amber the house. The Steelers weren't so lucky. They were too close to the spot. There was no other way."

'_A week ago?'_ Peter thought. Wasn't that when he and Olivia…

"Peter…" Olivia leaned over the side of the porch chair and was about to throw up.

"Hold on, Olivia." Peter helped her up. "Let's get her to bed."

Elizabeth and Peter helped Olivia back up to Peter's old bedroom and had her lie down. "What do you think is wrong with her, mom?"

"I don't know," said Elizabeth. At that moment the idea finally clicked in her mind. "But I think I know how to find out." She pulled out a strange device from her pocket.

"Whoa, what's that?"

"Peter, it's fine. We use this in our universe to collect blood samples. I just need a small amount. Then I can take it to the pharmacy to have it checked."

Peter shrugged. "Impressive. They have nothing like that over there."

Elizabeth smiled and then placed the device on Olivia's arm to get a blood sample. Olivia was too weak to question what Elizabeth was doing and Peter was there, so it had to be okay.

After collecting the blood sample, Elizabeth let her son spend some time alone with Olivia while she left to deliver the blood sample to the Secretary's office. She felt guilty about lying to her son. Such a concept of checking blood in a pharmacy didn't even exist here, but Peter and Olivia didn't know that. Still what she did, she knew it had to be done.

…

"Is this important?"

"Yes, Mr. Secretary. Your wife was able to get a hold of the girl's blood but not your son's."

"That will do for now. What did you find?"

"It's rather intriguing," said the scientist. "We had the blood sample placed by a power source and it caused and unusual reaction. We believe this girl's blood has been in contact with a massive source of energy…similar to what was discovered at Reiden Lake about a week ago."

"I see…"

The scientist then gave the Secretary a chart. "We also found this." The Secretary took a good look at the charts and his face turned dark. This changes things.

He picked up his phone and made a few calls. In his mind a plan was already set into motion. What he had just learned about the girl could in fact be key to saving his universe…and to getting his son back for good.

He knew he had the advantage. After all, he just learned something about the two that they had yet to.

…

That night Peter and Olivia were in bed together looking over something that Elizabeth gave to them. It was Olivia's old sketchbook, the one she accidentally left in this world during one of her earlier crossing when was at the daycare in Jacksonville.

"You were quite the artist, Olivia."

"Not really," she said. "I was only told to draw what I feel, what I saw in my mind, and what I saw was never happy."

But Peter then turned a page and saw a drawing of himself and Olivia in a field of white tulips.

"I drew that," said Olivia. "…while I was waiting to go home that night. I didn't think we would see each other again after that night and I didn't want to forget it. I didn't want to forget you."

Peter kissed Olivia then.

Elizabeth stood by the bedroom door, trying to suppress the guilt she was doing for what she knew was going to happen. "Peter, I need to go somewhere but I should return late. Olivia should get some sleep soon if she's to get better."

"Okay, mom. Goodnight."

But as Elizabeth left, Peter could sense something in Olivia. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she said. "Something's not right. Your mom was acting funny."

"Olivia, you been sick. I can sense that. If anything, I feel like I can hear other's people's heartbeats lately. It's driving me crazy too."

"I know she's your mom, Peter. But…"

"Hey," he said. "If it'll make you feel better. I'll stay up till she gets back. You just get some sleep, okay?"

It took a while but eventually Olivia, assured by Peter's words, fell asleep in his arms. Hours passed as Peter lied awake in the dark and then he heard a door opening and footsteps. He decided to crawl out of bed and meet his mother downstairs. But when he got to the living room, everything was still dark.

"Mom, are you home?" Peter looked around and knew that someone was in the house. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around. "Mom?"

He saw someone approach him, someone who wasn't his mother and then darkness.

Olivia was fast asleep and completely unaware until a hand was place over her mouth. Instantly, she was wide-awake and struggling with two men dressed in black who had her pinned to the bed. Two other men could be seen in the dark opening the window.

Her mind screamed for Peter but he wasn't coming. She then eyed the bookshelf and soon books began to fly across the room and struck at the men hard.

"Ow! What the hell?"

The men were still holding Olivia down. But she wasn't going to give up without a fight and continued to levitate items in the room, throwing them straight at the intruders.

"We're running out of time!"

"Forget about taking her," said one man. "We'll have to do it here. Get the syringe ready!"

One of the men then pulled out a black bag where he took out a syringe and a strange remote device. Olivia was now more terrified than ever as she continued to fight off the men. One of them pulled away the bedsheets and Olivia, who was only wearing underwear and one of Peter's shirts, was fearing the worst.

Good god. Where was he?

The remote device was hovered over her abdomen. "Here, right here." Without a moment's hesitation, the syringe was injected into her abdomen and Olivia's pain caused her to get serious. Suddenly, one of the men holding her was forcefully lifted and thrown against the wall…by Olivia's own will. The same happened with the other guy.

The two other men attempted to flee down the stairs but suddenly collided with a vengeful Peter. Within seconds one man fell down the stairs while the other was being punched unconscious by Peter's fist.

"Peter!"

Peter hurried to the bedroom leaping over two unconscious bodies to get to Olivia who was crying in pain and fear. "Olivia, oh god!"

"They gave me something, Peter. They injected me with something, I don't know…"

"Olivia, listen to me. You're gonna be fine."

"I wanna go home, Peter."

"We don't know if it's safe"

A gray light then appeared at the door of the room and began to spread like a giant curtain. Creating what seemed like a window, they could see back into their world. "I think those Massive Dynamic guys are gone," said Peter. He scooped Olivia into his arms and headed towards the light.

Seconds later, the room went dark again and seeing the window boarded up meant that they were back in their world. "Olivia…" Peter placed her back on the bed.

"I don't feel so good," she moaned. "I'm hurting everywhere."

"Just stay still, Olivia. I'll go find some medicine. You're gonna be okay."

Peter went to the nearest bathroom and began scurrying through the cabinets with no such luck. He then went down the hall to his parents' bedroom. He didn't feel comfortable stepping foot in there. The last time he ever did, he found his mother's dead body on the bed. But for Olivia's sake, he was willing to push that memory aside. He entered the bedroom and went searching in the cabinets, his mother's dresser, anywhere…

In the middle of the search, he heard Olivia's scream…a scream of terror AND pain. He hurried back to the bedroom not prepared for the sight that would lie before him.

Olivia had her back arched in pain as her belly began to swell at an alarming rate. It seemed to balloon infront of Peter's eyes.

It looked like she was…but it couldn't be…it just couldn't…it didn't make any sense.

All the while, Olivia was in pain in just about every part of her body. Her hips felt like they were widening and her skin was being stretched. Even more terrifying was that her once typically small breasts began to grow rapidly, tearing open the shirt she wore. She could feel them becoming engorged and swollen. All the while, the growth in her belly was getting bigger by the second.

"Oh god, Peter. It's moving! It's moving inside me!"

The movement inside of her became rapid like she was being pushed and kicked from the inside, and then she felt it turning. Her fears of being ballooned to death were now replaced with fears of this living thing in her body devouring her from the inside out.

"What's happening to me?"

At that moment, the growing weight inside her belly became too much for Olivia and she lost control of her bladder but Peter knew there was more than that now soaking the bed. Whether Peter wanted to believe it or not, this was real and happening to Olivia. But she had no idea. Walter had never told her of this.

"Olivia, listen to me. I can help you. I just need you to trust me, okay?"

Olivia cringed. "Just make it stop. The pain…AH!" Her nails were tearing into the mattress. The pain seemed to travel from the abdomen down to her groin and so was the living thing moving inside her.

Peter removed her now soaked underwear. "Olivia, we have to push this out of you. It's the only way. Can you do that?"

Olivia wasn't sure how she was going to be able to push this out of her. Neither did Peter. Her body was much too small and frail for massive task that was placed before them. But soon Olivia was desperate to use her instincts and got her body to push down. It was working but it still hurt like hell.

"That's good, Olivia. Keep pushing. You're almost there."

She had no idea what Peter was doing but she had no choice. If this would get rid of the pain, if this would help her survive this, she had to trust him. And for the next few minutes she was still pushing at Peter's request.

"One more. Just one more big push. Give it all you got."

She knew he was right. Just by what was going on in her own body, she needed to make this push count. But she was already in so much pain. Her body was already stretched to her limit.

With one big push came one cry of horrifying pain.

Olivia felt numb. Whatever caused that pain was finally out of her but she was still feeling uncomfortable. She heard an unusual cry but couldn't see beyond her stomach other than Peter reaching for a pair of scissors at his desk. "Peter, what happened? What was that inside me?"

"It's okay," said Peter. It sounded like he was crying. "You're both going to be fine. I got her."

"Her?"

Peter approached the bed carrying the source of the cry in his hands. Even he could not believe that he had just pulled out a fully-grown newborn from Olivia's body and was now placing the little girl in Olivia's arms.

"You're a mom, Olivia," he cried. "You're a mom."

Olivia could do nothing but stare at the child in her arms. She had no words to describe what she was feeling, even moreso when the child reached out for one of Olivia's breasts and latched on. To her shock, the baby was feeding off of her.

All Olivia could get out was a single question: "h-h-how?"

Peter was trying to figure out in his head how this was all logically possible but he just couldn't. "I don't know, Olivia." He sat by Olivia and held her in the hopes of trying to calm them both. But still he was shaking from uncertainty. "I don't know."

…

The Secretary threw his fist angrily against his desk after being informed of the night's events. "Was anything accomplished?"

"We went ahead and accelerated the pregnancy," his staff informed. "We didn't know they would be able to escape so quickly."

"The girl will have given birth by now," he said. "We'll have no choice but to go after them."

"But Mr. Secretary, we still have some side effects to work around…"

"You'll have to work faster," he growled. "We've just let the most powerful child in both universes escape from us again! Even if I must send every shapeshifter at my disposal, even if I must cross over myself, I'll have all of them brought back here to me and I'll have it done now!"


	19. Nothing but Running

"Olivia? Olivia!"

Peter could sense something very wrong and he swore as he looked at Olivia's face that she was getting much paler and was glistening with sweat. Her hold on the baby in her arms was slowly giving way. He looked further down to see a lot of blood, not just afterbirth, seeping from between Olivia's legs. "Oh no…"

"Peter," she moaned. "I'm hurting..."

He panicked. "Maybe we should go back. My mom could be back by now. She can help us."

The gray light slowly appeared by the doorway and Peter and Olivia could only watch as they saw Walternate and Elizabeth talking to each other. They seemed unaware of anyone else in the room.

"_We shouldn't have done this, Walter."_

"_But we had to," he said. "There was no other way."_

"_Do you know if it worked?"_

"_I'm certain of it," said Walternate. "The child will have been born by now on their side."_

"_But we lost Peter again."_

"_Not for long. I'm almost finished with the compound that will allow me to travel to that world. That girl he's been with…if she possesses abilities, then it's likely her child will have some as well. We need them, Elizabeth and once we have them, Peter will return to us willingly. I promise you that. I will use every resource I have to cross over and search for them…"_

The image and the gray light soon disappeared as Olivia was starting to slip out of consciousness. "Olivia, please!" Peter tried to keep her head up. "Stay awake for me, please!"

"We can't," she mumbled. "We can't go to a hospital…they'll find us."

"I know," said Peter. "I'll think of something."

But one thing was for certain: they had to get out of that house. It wouldn't be long before Massive Dynamic or even the other side would find their way to this house. They weren't safe here. They weren't safe anywhere. Worst yet, they had no one to help them.

Well…almost no one.

He didn't want to resort to it but in the end he had no other choice.

…

"Bishop, you have a visitor."

The nurse opened the door and a bearded scruffy man came into the room that Peter almost did not recognize. The years Walter had spent at St. Claire's have not been very long, yet they've aged him terribly. Still the biggest smile on his face appeared at the sight of his son.

"Peter? Is that really you?" He ran over to Peter and gave him a huge hug. "Oh my, you've gotten fat!" He then started checking his pupils.

"Ah! Walter!"

"How's your mother?"

"You mean you didn't know?"

Walter frowned. "She's dead, isn't she?" He sat there at his chair for the longest time. "W-w-what about Olivia? Is she here?"

"She's in the motel across the street. Listen Walter, she's not doing well."

"Is it the Cortexiphan?"

"What? No. Walter, Olivia just had a baby."

"A baby," he smiled. "Oh, Peter, surely I've informed you of the measures of protection to be taken during sexual intercourse."

"No you didn't and you didn't even tell Olivia that that's where babies come from. She still hasn't gotten over the shock of being pregnant and giving birth in the span of 10 minutes."

"Oh dear…10 minutes you say?"

"I'll have to explain it to you." Peter went about telling everything dating back to when Olivia went to Jacksonville and how he found his mother dead. Walter took great interest when Peter discussed being at Massive Dynamic and the unusual pregnancy and labor that Olivia endured.

"But you and Olivia…" said Walter. "You've had…"

"Yes, a week before this whole thing happened."

"Amazing. And you say that Walternate was behind this?"

"Who's Walternate?"

"Oh that is the name I gave him…your real father. As for what he's done. It seems he accelerated Olivia's pregnancy in an attempt to retrieve the child."

The realization that his true father had betrayed him, much like this father did was really getting to Peter. He didn't even notice his nails nearly scratching the table surface. "But what's wrong with Olivia?"

"I'm afraid her body was nowhere near prepared for the rapid gestation and hormonal changes to her body. And to birth a full-grown child, that will certainly have taken a toll on her."

Peter sobbed. "What am I going to do, Walter?"

"Is she still alive?"

"Well, barely…I don't know if she…"

"If she's still alive at this point then that's a good sign," said Walter. "Make sure she eats plenty of sweets and protein…preferably red meats. Have her get plenty of rest. Have her limit the use of her abilities until she gets better."

"And what about him? My dad?"

Walter didn't seem please with Peter calling Walternate 'dad', even if he really was his father. "I'm afraid there's no other choice in the matter. Walternate will be at war with our world until he finds you."

"But…"

"Peter, I must explain. I told William about your closeness to Olivia and he took a very invested interest."

"What do you mean, Walter?"

"Son, Olivia was given a drug called Cortexiphan as a child…years before you two met…by William and me."

Peter stood up and looked down at Walter. "You mean, she could do all of those things because of you?"

"Peter, please. We did it to prepare her for a war such as this."

"You started it all by kidnapping me, Walter."

"I know," he said sadly. "It was…my mistake. We had no idea that such consequences would come from what I did." Peter reached his arms out to Walter but he quickly backed away. "Son, let me explain!"

"I should kill you right now."

"But you and Olivia…you might be the answer!"

Peter slowly dropped his hands. "What answer?"

"Olivia was our strongest Cortexiphan child but she was unable to access her complete potential. She needed a strong emotional response, one that would toss her out of the realm of consciousness and access that part of her mind that would result in limitless potential. That's when William began researching on Tantra and the effects of sexual energy."

"Sexual energy?"

"He believed that if Olivia had a pure and positive first sexual experience, it would create the greatest feeling of pleasure, strong enough to break through to her consciousness. Your unique DNA proved to be key. You were drawn to Olivia at a very young age. You were in love with her long before you could be of an age to understand what love was. Olivia was the door and you were the key to unlocking that part of her that William and I were unable to access. And in the process, you and Olivia produced a massive energy as you two were…copulating. But that energy is what brought you two together, it's what linked you to her in such a way that you two became a part of each other, perhaps even share some of her newfound abilities. And the child…any child that is conceived through such a union will have surely absorbed some of that energy."

"Wait a sec," said Peter. "Are you telling me the baby has powers?"

"Walternate will stop at nothing to access that kind of power that the girls possess. You have no other choice, Peter. You must take Olivia and the child and go into hiding."

"But where? We don't have a car. We don't have any money left…"

"My vista!" Walter grabbed a nearby piece of paper and pencil. "I just remembered where I parked it before I was brought here. I have plenty of items in there worth pawning. Not at an actual pawn shop but possibly a lab. I can give you that address as well."

"You don't understand, Walter. I'm scared. I'm only 15. I don't know anything about being a father. I can't do all of this alone…"

"I'm so sorry, son. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you and Olivia right now. But I have faith in both of you. Surely you'll find a way to save our world."

"How, Walter?"

"I wish I knew." A nurse entered the room and Walter knew it was his time to leave. "Be a better man than me, son."

…

Peter couldn't buy much from the nearby convenience store with what little money he had left (most had been spent on the bus trip to see Walter and the motel). Getting the basics for the baby had to come first and Peter knew that was gonna run him dry. Admitting defeat, Peter returned to the hotel to find Olivia and the baby sleeping soundly. Olivia wasn't bleeding anymore, that was a good sign. Still, just by feeling her, he knew that Walter was right. Olivia was far too weak to do anything and was barely hanging on.

The baby was starting to get fussy and not wanting to disturb Olivia, Peter took the child into his arms. He sensed that she just wanted to be held. As Peter held the tiny hand, he could feel a strange energy in the child…the same energy that took hold of Peter and Olivia when they made love for the first time. That was when Peter knew for sure that this baby was theirs. Reality set in very quickly. He really was a father. How was he going to cope? How would he able to look after all three of them with so many people after them? How could he do what Walter expected of him?

He and Olivia were still just kids. This shouldn't be happening to them.

Olivia slowly opened her eyes. "Peter?"

He reached a hand to Olivia. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted. Did you see him? Your father?"

"Yeah."

"What did he say?"

"He says we should run…all three of us."

Olivia tried to get up but Peter stopped her. "Whoa, Liv. You need to take it easy."

She moaned. "This is all my fault, Peter."

"What are you saying?"

"All of this started when I shot my stepfather. If I never came to Reiden Lake, maybe your mother would still be alive. The whole time I lived with you, I was just a reminder to her of everything wrong. You could've been a normal kid."

"Olivia…believe me when I say that getting to be with you all these years was worth not being a normal kid."

"What about all the people that are after us? What about the baby?"

Peter looked at the baby and wondered if Walter really was right about her having abilities.

She asked, "Do you think I can be a good mom?"

He kissed her forehead. "You're going to be a great mom. But I think we should give her a name."

"How about Hope?"

Peter smiled. "That sounds about right for our current situation."

…

They watched as the house went up in a huge mass of flames destroying the only refuge that the ones they seek would have left.

"What are the orders now?" one asked the other.

"We begin the hunt," the other said. "The Secretary is bringing more hybrid soldiers to assist us in the search. Remember they are to be found and captured alive."

To them, this wouldn't be so difficult as they had the advantage. They knew that the ones they sought were just minors, defenseless and with no place to turn and no one to help them.

They also knew that they couldn't be far.


	20. Little Choices

They would get an early wake-up call around 4 in the morning, straight from the sturdy lungs of Hope herself. Olivia got up too quickly and was feeling dizzy.

"Don't get up, Liv," said Peter as he turned on the light. "Let me…"

"But she's hungry."

"How do you know?"

"I just do," she said. "I can sense it."

Slowly Peter began to realize through his newfound abilities to sense things, that she was right. The baby was just hungry and there wasn't much Peter could do about that. Hope felt very heavy in her mother's lap. Peter wanted to help but he only caused Olivia to shyly turn away as she breastfed her.

"This is so weird," she said, her face turning red. "I don't think I can get use to this."

"It's going to take some time," said Peter. "Since we're up, I think we should get going. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

...

So Peter went about gathering their things and the family took a cab to the far side of town. They found themselves walking toward an abandoned warehouse.

"Peter, are you sure we should be here?"

"This is where Walter said it would be."

"What?"

Peter approached the warehouse door and busted the lock open. Just as Walter promised, an old station wagon was sitting inside just waiting for them. Peter found the keys to the car settled on the hood, having collected dust all those years. The back of the station wagon was filled to the brim with junk. Tons of boxes filled with his father's work that Peter feared to even look that. There was also an unusual smell. "Geez how many things died in here?" As he dug further back he pulled out a jar with a hand…a hand with six fingers. "Oh god."

Olivia cringed. "Ew, why would he have that in there?"

"It's Walter," said Peter. This was turning out to be a bust. There was nothing in here worth pawning at all from what Walter informed him…just a bunch of useless and disgusting junk. He cleaned the car out and then tried to start the car. After a few false starts, he popped open the hood. "Did I ever tell you that I have a gift of bringing anything mechanical back to life?" But then the engine started roaring causing Hope to cry. Peter was shocked. He got the car starting sooner than he expected to. His gift for fixing mechanical things just got even better. "Get in."

Olivia and Peter got into the Vista. "You know how to drive?" asked Olivia.

"I picked up a few skills after my mom died."

"But you don't even have a license."

"The key is not to get caught," he winked.

By the time they started driving out of the warehouse, the sun began to rise. Olivia found a map in the glove compartment to guide them. "So…where do we go from here?"

"I don't know," said Peter. "But don't worry, we'll have to figure that out as we go along." He said that to assure Olivia. But Peter knew they were in a very difficult situation. What little money they had, Peter feared he would have to spend most of on gas and anything leftover would have to be diapers for the baby. Other than that he feared they would have to starve, at least until Olivia was well enough to use her abilities again, which could be a while. Maybe he could get her to conjure up a decent meal like she did back at the house.

As they got on the highway, they remained unaware that a black sedan was following them from an inconspicuous distance.

"Do you think we should tell them?" asked September.

"You know we cannot get involved."

"They are going to make a grave mistake."

"We must wait and see if they change their minds," December.

"They don't even know how powerful they are."

"I know."

...

Peter got worried as they traveled south into New York, knowing how many people were in that area that were looking for them. He drove through the entire state without stopping. He would not feel safe until they were out of that area.

By then they would have their hands full with Hope who needed something just about every hour. Fortunately, Peter and Olivia had that ability to sense what their child's needs were with every cry. But slowly it was becoming clear that this was getting to be a bit too much for them...especially for Olivia.

It wasn't until Peter was completely exhausted did they pull over and camped in the car for the night. They didn't get so much as an hour's sleep in the back of the Vista as Hope was crying again.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore, Peter."

"What do you mean?"

"You know. I mean with everything else we have to deal with...all the people that are after us and now a baby..."

"Olivia, you can't possibly be saying..."

"What choice do we have Peter? I'm not ready for this. I thought we could handle it but...maybe it's better for her..."

"You don't know that."

"Peter, she's deserves better than this...she deserves to have normal life, doesn't she?"

Deep down did believe that Hope deserved better. Olivia was right. They couldn't handle a child while being on the run, not with Olivia's health and what little money they had. That wasn't the kind of life that Hope should be raised up in. "Olivia, I don't think a normal life for her will be as easy as you think."

Her eyes widened in realization. "Peter, are you saying she's...like us?"

"I'm afraid so, Sweetheart. When I held her hand, I felt how special she was. Walter said it might've been when we...you know."

Olivia broke down instantly. "Olivia, listen to me. We can make this work. We've already been through so much and we..."

"No," she said. "I can't, Peter. We can't do this!"

"You haven't given this a chance, Olivia. Please reconsider. I want to make this work."

But Olivia would not look at Peter. She would not budge from this decision, as much as it pained her. She was already in enough pain from the birth. Too much has already happened to her and she felt despair at knowing she wasn't ready to be a mother. "We can leave her with my aunt. But she can't know that it's our baby."

"Olivia..."

"I'm sorry, Peter."

Eventually Olivia would fall asleep crying without taking the argument any further. They were too exhausted to fight over this. Olivia wanted what was best for Hope. But Peter felt differently. Though he couldn't explain it, he knew that he didn't want to give his daughter up. To him, Hope was part of the special bond he now had with Olivia and she shared the same energy that the two of them created. She was special, and Walternate wanted her.

This was tearing Peter apart. He was holding Hope in his arms once more and he reached out to hold her tiny hand and felt her energy. Through this simple connection, his little girl was just as much as part of his soul as Olivia and he knew he would do anything and everything to protect his girls.

"I don't want to do this," he whispered to her. "I love you. I don't wanna let you go."

_**This chapter seemed short and fillery after a long absence and I apologized for that. It's been a tough couple of weeks of laziness, illness, sugar highs, and writer's block but I'm making an effort to get back on track. I think the fact that I had this chapter be the "Will P/O give up their baby or not?" chapter speaks for itself. What do you think they should do? Review and get my inspiration going again. **_


	21. The Core of the Bond

When they woke up the next morning, they didn't speak a word to each other. Peter couldn't bear it when he found himself getting on the highway south onto Interstate 95...the road to Jacksonville. Olivia struggled to sleep, but it was of no use as they drove for the most of the day.

As they got closer and closer to their destination, Hope was getting more frustrated.

"What's wrong now?"

"I really don't know," said Olivia. "I thought she just wanted to be held but now I can't sense anything. Can you?"

Peter looked to the road. "I'm not getting anything."

With each passing hour, Hope was crying more frequently and was the cause for several long stops along the trip. Peter didn't want to tell Olivia but he had that funny feeling that just maybe Hope knew what was happening to her and where they were going. But that wasn't possible for a baby only a few days old to be THAT aware, was it? Soon enough, the decision to leave his daughter with Olivia's relatives was starting to scare Peter more and more. What if they didn't keep her? What if Walternate tracked down the baby in Jacksonville?

They were both beyond exhausted and frustrated. "It's getting late. I think we should find a motel for the night."

"Are you sure?" Olivia asked.

"We won't get anywhere close to Jacksonville until tomorrow. You're exhausted. I'm exhausted. We should get ourselves some decent sleep tonight considering what we're doing."

The baby eventually calmed down once they settled into their roach-infested motel room but she still made it troublesome for her parents to let them sleep right away. Peter stepped out of the room to get some fresh air hoping to ease the tension between him and the girls. By the time he was outside, perhaps Olivia would finally get some sleep.

Peter walked to the other side of the building to the vending machines to get food but sensed something was wrong, as if there was an unusual presence here. He stopped and listened. There was someone on the other side of the vending machines...someone that Peter feared knew him.

He didn't know what to do other than to charge at the stranger before he got to him, or Olivia, or the baby first. But the stranger suddenly faced him and fired something at him. Whatever it was, it was so incredibly painful as Peter was forced to the ground. The strange man in the dark suit looked over Peter and Peter knew it was the end. _'Don't take them,'_ his mind was screaming. _'Don't take them, please.'_

"I'm not here for them," said the man.

Peter looked up in bewilderment. The man knew what Peter was thinking. "I know what you plan to do and I am here to tell you it is a mistake. Your bond with the girl is special. It has broken the limits of human potential and has opened the door for eternal possibilities. The child is proof of that. She must be with her mother and father or the power of the bond will be weakened."

"But how can I...how can Olivia? We're not ready for this. And my father..."

"If he takes the girls, all will be lost. The bond must remain intact if you're to begin healing both worlds."

"And how am I supposed to that?"

"You must be a father and she must be a mother. There is no other way." September looked up towards the direction of Peter and Olivia's room. "Someone is coming. You must go to them, now."

Peter rolled over to his side and pushed himself up. The pain was surprisingly fading. But as he looked back, the man in the suit was gone. He started walking back to the hotel room and the same bad feeling start to fill his gut.

He started running faster.

Olivia thought she would finally get some decent sleep since the birth of her child. But she was being plagued with terrible visions in her mind and a very uneasy feeling.

She heard shuffling at the door and thought it was Peter unlocking the door to let himself him. Of course, the noise caused the baby to cry, so Olivia rolled over with her back to the door hoping to drown out the noise. But suddenly, the door burst open causing Olivia to scramble from the bed. Two men entered the room and one grabbed Olivia by the hair and dragged her out of the motel room and into the nearby woods. She could hear the baby still in the motel room and was at a loss as she was unable to help her.

Peter got back to the motel room and jumped on the intruder as soon as he saw him. What he didn't expect was for the intruder to be so strong. It felt like metal as Peter swung a punch at him. They found themselves wrestling each other to the ground. And Peter fought back with everything he could but the intruder was just too strong.

It was a losing battle. Soon, Peter was struck to the ground and could barely move. The man went for Hope, who was lying on the bed, but just as he was about to lay a hand on her, a massive force sent him flying out of the motel room. Peter suddenly found the strength to get back up. He hurried over to Hope and took the child outside.

The other man had dragged Olivia far into the woods and dropped Olivia to the ground as he rushed to set up a series of tripods. Peter arrived at the scene with baby Hope in his arms.

"No Peter! Run!"

"I'm not leaving you, Olivia."

The ground began to shake and Peter struggled to pull Olivia away as a shimmering glow began to appear within the series of tripods. The man pursued the trio as they attempted to escape the woods.

Olivia knew that she was slowing her family down. "Leave me, Peter. Get Hope away from here"

But Peter would not listen. The man was getting closer and Hope was crying more furiously than ever. A sudden breeze began to pick up from the shimmering glow. Peter could see that it was a mirror to the other world. The man took two more steps and suddenly flew backwards. Peter got down and held onto Olivia as the man was sucked into the shimmering glow that a few seconds later would suddenly vanish.

Peter, Olivia, and Hope lied still until everything was calm again. They looked back to find themselves all alone. "We have to get outta here," said Peter.

They hurried back to their motel room to pack, but just out in the parking lot, they were stunned to the find the body of the first man. He lied dead in the middle of the parking lot with his head splattered, except what came out wasn't blood. It was a silvery substance, almost like mercury.

"Peter...who were these guys?"

"I don't know."

They hurried like mad to get out of their hotel room and drive away.

...

The hybrid soldier realized he had been pushed back to the other reality without his partner or the ones he was supposed to capture. The report went back to Walternate. The child was proving to be more powerful and more of a threat and he immediately doubled the amount of hybrid soldiers they had at their disposal.

"It'll take a week to get that many soldiers made and out there," said the assistant.

"Then I suggest you get started now and have the ones we do have on hand over there." He looked at the map of where the attempted capture took place somewhere along the coast between the two Carolinas. "I want every inch of the surrounding area swarmed with them before they have any chance of escaping."

...

Peter had stayed up the whole night sitting on top of the Vista. They had run out of gas along the beach and Olivia was sleeping with Hope in the back. The sun would rise soon and by then, surely someone would drive by and offer assistance.

"Peter?" Olivia crawled out the back with Hope in her arms.

"You okay?" asked Peter.

"I'm still scared," she said.

"You know, I think a nice walk on the beach will help." He took Olivia by the hand and they walked down to the beach towards the water. "Peter, what happened back there...at the motel?"

"As far as I know," Peter said. "...those guys were after you...and Hope. I don't know how, but I think she saved our lives."

Olivia could feel Hope clinging to her mother just a little bit tighter than before and it brought tears to Olivia's eyes. "Olivia, we can't let her be apart from us. She needs to be with her real mommy and daddy. She's just that special." Peter sighed. "I know this wouldn't have happened if we hadn't…if I..."

"It's not your fault, Peter. I don't regret what we did. I mean, I'm still scared by what's happening because of it, but I love you...I wanted you to be my first...my only..."

Peter wrapped an arm around her, silently cursing Walter for never teaching him about condoms or safe sex. "I love you and I love our baby, Olivia...because she was created by our love. That's why all of this things are happening to us. I know it's scary but at the same time it's beautiful. I don't want to give that up. I don't wanna lose our child."

"It all happened so fast," said Olivia as she gave the child over to Peter. "I'm not ready..."

"Hold her hand, Olivia."

Olivia shrugged at the request and reached out for Hope's little hand for the first time, feeling all the energy that connected her to her daughter. She could feel Peter picking up her other hand and soon the energy was flowing through all three of them. They were one. Her connection to her own child was strengthened then. She now knew that the energy, created by her and Peter when they made love, was now stored inside her little girl. Hope was now the physical link between her mother and father.

Olivia let go of both Peter and Hope's hand and she could still feel some of the energy flowing. She became overwhelmed. "Peter..."

"It's okay, Olivia."

"I heard her...in my head. When I held Hope's hand, I heard her voice."

"What did she say?"

"She said 'please don't leave me, mommy'." Olivia took Hope into her arms again. "Don't worry baby girl. You're going to stay right here with your mommy and daddy. I'm so sorry."

Peter led Olivia and their daughter back to the car as the sun was now shining across the beach. As they saw the Vista in the distance, they could see two men in suits filling the tank with gas. "It's okay," said Peter. "I think we can trust them."

The two men had gotten into their sedan and were gone by the time they got there. Peter noticed that they had left a note on the windshield as Olivia and the baby were getting into the car.

_'More are coming. Hide them in the mountains.'_

Peter was unsure if it was meant to be cryptic or literal. Still, he would follow their directions, hoping that the mysterious men were truly on their side.


	22. The Barren Woods

The mountains proved to be a quiet but rough place to hide. Upon arrival, Peter and Olivia had taken shelter in an abandoned structure deep in the woods. Further in the mountains, towns and people were a rare occurrence which worked well in their favor. The family needed a safe place to keep to themselves to rest and recover from the ordeals they've endured in the past weeks. In the course of time, Olivia's health was improving. Still, she became haunted by the memories she had of being held captive by her stepfather. She was remembering, and what she was remembering was too much for her.

Baby Hope was getting big and healthy as she was nearing two months of age. But Peter still worried about the lack of food. There were no jobs here in the mountains and what little money they had was soon to run out. Peter felt he had no choice but to commit a view illegal acts for the sake of his family. He found places to dig for coal that no other person in the area knew about, and he would often travel miles to the nearest towns to trade. He made sure to keep an eye on everyone he encountered in these parts. He never knew who was trustworthy. Such work kept Peter away from the family for most of the day, but Olivia understood.

Yet Peter would often hear Hope crying whenever he made it back to the shelter during the evenings. Not a good thing considering they're trying to keep low.

"Olivia, can't you get her to stop?"

"I've tried, Peter. I tried to hold her hand and talk to her but I can't read her." She handed the baby to Peter. "You've been better at reaching her than me."

Despite being completely exhausted, Peter agreed to hold Hope's hand and try to read her. The look on Peter's face turned into that of worry. "What's wrong?" asked Olivia.

"She hasn't been feeling well. I think she's sick"

"That can't be."

"You're with her every day, Olivia! How can you not know that she..."

"Peter, I told you before, I can't do this as well as you! I told you I can't handle this." Olivia shielded her eyes from Peter trying to hide the rings beneath them that had developed over the past few weeks. But Peter had notice them for a while. He sighed "I'm sorry I yelled, Olivia."

Despite how exhausted she was, Olivia took the baby back in her arms. "Maybe you should go get some medicine."

"Olivia, this is the last of our money. I don't know where I'm going to find anymore coal for a while."

"I know. But her health is more important."

"So is yours, Olivia." He kissed Olivia on the forehead. "I'll hurry back." Peter couldn't stay awake after a long tiresome day but fortunately, the nearest open door was just a short drive. He had just been in the store earlier that day to do some trade. Sure enough, the same guy was still working behind the counter. However, the man made no acknowledgement of Peter as he entered the store and went to grab some baby medicine and that was the first thing that made Peter suspicious.

"Anything else?" asked the cashier. But Peter's eyes keep turning towards another suspicious person who had been staring at him from one of the aisles as he was in the process of paying.

Peter was walking back to his car and got even more suspicious looks from a cop who was standing by. The eeriness and suspicious looks gave Peter chills, worst than any horror movie he had ever seen or heard about. Just a few feet from his car, Peter caught sight of an unusual puddle beneath the streetlight. It looked like a typical oil puddle at first but Peter knew by the silver glow that it was mercury seeping out from a nearby garbage bin. Peter didn't bother to look back at the suspicious policeman. He walked past his car and started running into the woods.

At least three people were now in pursuit of Peter. He could only assume that they knew he and Olivia and Hope were located somewhere in these woods and the shapeshifters quietly moved in and killed as many of the locals and stole their identities in the hopes of tracking them down.

The darkness worked in Peter's favor as he dashed through the woods hoping to cause the shapeshifters to scramble and give Peter time to make it back to Hope and Olivia before they did. Peter spent nearly an hour distracting them and leading them off the trail through the trees until he finally got to the shelter, completely exhausted.

"Peter?"

Olivia had to hold Peter up as he was ready to collapse. "We have to go. They're here!" Olivia found herself beginning to panic, holding Hope and one arm and supporting Peter with the other. She had no choice but to consider crossing over. She wasn't sure if she was in good health to make a doorway, but time was running out. The moment she got one to appear, she pulled all three of them through and they collapsed to the ground.

An hour later, Peter was the first to wake up. The first thing he noticed was that the earth was unusually dry and barren. He looked around and saw no shelter from the trees. They were all stripped of their bark and green standing as mere sticks in the mud. "Olivia?" He looked over and found Olivia unable to stay awake. Hope was crying. The crossing was too much for Olivia again.

In the darkness, Peter could hear footsteps approaching. "Who's there?"

Peter looked at his daughter, wondering if she was going to use her ability to fend off the approaching stranger despite her illness. But all she could do was whimper. A tall old man appeared holding a shotgun but upon seeing the young family, he lowered his gun and put it away. He smiled at them. "Peter...Olive, I was wondering when you two might show up back on this side."

Instantly, Peter got defensive. "Who are you? Do you work for him?"

"Not for him, Peter. I have no intention of turning you in. But if you and your family don't follow me now, someone else might."

Seeing that Olivia was slumping in Peter's arms, the man approached them. "I can carry Olive. The cabin isn't too far ahead."

Peter had every reason to be suspicious. But soon it started to rain. There was no choice it seemed but to follow this stranger to the nearest shelter that might exist in this wasteland. Eventually the barren earth and scorched trees gave way to slightly more familiar images of nature where a rustic cabin (that looked as if it was sinking) could finally be seen. The man opened the door and led everyone in. He placed Olivia on the sofa with a blanket and pillow.

"You've been waiting for us? Out here?"

"I knew you would cross over in the event that the shapeshifters track you down over there. These are huge mountains but it's not safe to stay in one place for a long time. I was able to detect where on the other side where you and Olivia and the child were by measuring levels of energy on this side. It's likely the Secretary does the same. That is why you have to keep moving no matter where you hide.

"You haven't told me who you are yet."

Suddenly the men hear moaning from the sofa. "Willum?"

The man turned to Olivia and smiled. "Yes Olive. You remember me? I was the one who told you to stay with Peter."

Olivia nodded. "Peter?"

He hurried over to Olivia with little Hope. "Hey."

"Is Hope okay?"

"She's fine right now," said Peter. He held Hope's hand and found that she was getting a bit better.

William Bell made some food for Peter and Olivia. "I'm impressed by how much you and Olivia have endured at such a young age."

"Well it would be easier if there weren't hundreds of people trying to find us."

"If it's any consolation, you and your family haven't been easy to find. I've only settled in this cabin waiting for you for a couple of weeks."

"Waiting for us?" asked Olivia.

"Yes," said William. "Unfortunately, my unstable health has trapped me here. But I have ways of communicating with the other side. Nina Sharp has been looking for you."

"We know," said Peter.

"I've informed her to back off. As dear a friend as she is to me, even I have my difficulties trusting her loyalty," said William. "So hopefully that's one less problem for you to deal with."

"Okay. But what about my father and all the shapeshifters?"

"That will be a bit more difficult but I have faith in you. You have the most powerful girls in your possession."

Olivia looked down as she was rocking her baby. "Me and Hope?"

"Precisely. Running and hiding will only wear the three of you out...I can see it's already some damage."

"What do you mean?" asked Peter.

"Your child, she's been sick recently hasn't she? Have you been away from her, Peter?"

"Just to get some money. But I dunno how that..."

"Your bond with the child is really strong. So strong in fact, that separation will actually weaken her. The less time either you or Olivia spend away from her the weaker her abilities become."

"How do you know all of this?"

"Because I was the one who discovered that your bond with Olivia could save both universes." William pulled out the rug from the middle of the cabin to reveal a trap door. "The three of you should sleep down here tonight. I have a couple of cots ready."

Peter and Olivia went downstairs with Hope as William closed the trap door on them leaving them with only a small night light in the hidden basement. He was shaking his head. "I still think something's wrong about all of this."

Just as soon as he said that, Peter could hear a noise from above. Someone was at the door and when the family heard William Bell's footsteps walking over to answer it, their worst fears were confirmed.

"Good Evening, Mr. Secretary."

* * *

_**Hahaha. Yup I spend a month with writer's block and I leave you with a cliffhanger! Aint I awesome?**_


	23. Contents of Survival

_"Good Evening Mr. Secretary."_

From the basement, Peter and Olivia could only see shadows of William and Walternate as they moved across the room. "What brings you to the blight zone?" asked William.

"I've been informed that my son has been located on the other side. The girl and their child are living somewhere in the area. I knew you were doing some work here. I hope you don't mind my intruding."

"Not at all."

From beneath their feet came an unusual sound. Hope was whimpering and Olivia held her hand in a silent plea to her to calm down. The Secretary seemed attentive to the noise. "That should be the tea about ready," said William. And a few seconds later, the kettle could be heard whistling and William went to go tend to it. Walternate meanwhile, grabbed a remote device from his pocket. He turned it on and it started to beep rapidly. "Hmm."

"Something wrong, Walter?"

"I'm getting massive energy readings here."

Peter and Olivia knew they were in trouble then. Olivia wanted to let go of Hope's hand but if she did she knew that she would start crying. Either way, they were going to be caught. "Well, it could be the blight zone causing it to malfunction."

Peter quietly sighed and for the next five minutes William and Walternate sat down to some tea. "Walter, surely this can't be the only way to restore balance to the universe."

"It is our best option," said Walternate. "Imagine if we were to study those girls and their abilities. We could not only save our world, we could make it even better. They have enough energy to shape the elements of our very world. It will take a few tests but I believe we can tap into their abilities and use them for our benefit."

"Whatever happened to your stance on the experimentation of children?"

Walternate coldly replied "I exclude those that have any connection to that universe. And that girl...she had the ability to bring my son back to this universe all these years, and now she has turned him against me. That is unforgivable." A message arrived through the Secretary's earpiece and he got up. "It's seems they failed to locate them."

"Well, do you suppose they crossed over here?" asked William.

"Doubtful that they would risk coming here. They wouldn't last. I must go now."

After a few minutes, the Secretary had left and William opened the trap door. "He's gone."

Olivia let go of Hope's hand and she wailed instantly.

"You're friends with him?" asked Peter.

"I assure you Peter it's only for show. You and your family's safety are a main priority."

Peter was still very suspicious, even after William insisted that they stay in the cabin for the next couple of days until William was certain that it would be safe for them to go back. In the meantime, William kept an eye on Hope and Olivia's recovery. "Hope is doing very well, but I still stress the need for closeness."

"I'm not good," said Olivia. "I'm not good with getting through to her like Peter can."

"I know the accelerated pregnancy does take a toll both physically and mentally. It will be difficult in your case for you to form a truly emotional connection with your child but I urge you to give it time. You are doing very well with her Olivia, even if you don't believe that, and it is very important."

"I just want things to go back to normal," said Olivia.

"Unfortunately, there is no going back," said William. "However, there is a way for you and Hope to restore balance between the universes and possibly bring peace. It will take some time and much traveling." William gave Peter a map. "I marked all the soft spots back in the other world. The soft spots coincide with all of the affected areas in this world. So naturally, once you cross back over, you can start with where you're standing first and go from there."

"There's got to be a hundred or more spots on here," said Peter.

"The more you heal, the easier the task will become."

"And how are we supposed to 'restore balance' as you call it?"

"She'll know what to do," said William as he was looking at Hope. "Now as for your father..."

"You're gonna keep him off our tail?"

"No, I meant Dr. Bishop. It seems he can only be released from St. Claire's by a family member 18 years or older. But I'll contact Nina to see if anything else can be done. I can't guarantee you anything."

"It's fine," said Peter. William then gave Peter a briefcase. "This is a special case of my own invention. Anything you put inside it will adapt to whatever universe you carry it to."

"So what's in it?"

William leaned over to whisper to Peter. "It's something that I'm sure will help you but I would open it later and alone." Peter reluctantly grabbed the briefcase and he, Olivia, and Hope all stepped out of the cabin, to cross back over to their world. "Is it safe now?" asked Olivia.

Now back in their universe, they stumbled upon their former shelter which had now been burnt to ashes. Peter felt the ashes and they were cold. "I think we're okay now."

Olivia sat down and laid Hope on the ground. "How do we know if she's doing something?" But Peter shrugged. They had no clue what Hope was supposed to do in order to begin the healing of worlds. Olivia then reached out and took one of Hope's hand. She then pressed her other hand into the earth. She felt something. She wasn't sure if it was working, but she was certain that something was happening. A familiar surge of energy was running through her and Hope once more.

"Was that it?"

She picked Hope up. "I dunno."

"Well, I think we should get out of here anyway." They walked a bit further and found their Vista completely untouched and undisturbed as the local sheriff was in the area. They had found numerous dead bodies of the very persons that the shapeshifters took the identity of while searching for them. This could only mean that said shapeshifters were now long gone.

As they got back on the road, they remained opened and alert as they drove to the nearest soft spot and once again they tested out what they did before with Hope, by just releasing a small amount of energy into the earth around them. Olivia was starting to feel a little more confident about what needed to be done now.

That night they arrived at a motel using the last of their money. Hope was sleeping comfortably in one of the beds. While Olivia was in the shower, Peter finally opened up the briefcase.

He had to do a double-take. Every inch of the case was filled with clean bundles of $20 bills. Peter had never seen so much cash in his life. This was certainly more than he and Olivia had managed to survive on in months. As Peter picked up one of the bundles, he noticed that they were covering something else that was in the case. He pulled out what looked like a cigar box.

Taped to the box was a note: _'Because I know you'll do whatever it takes to protect them.'_

Peter opened the box and found himself staring at a black pistol with several boxes of ammunition. Was William serious about this? Peter had never held a gun in his life, not like Olivia. Still, why would he give Peter a gun? Were things really going to get THAT bad that Peter really would have to use it?

The water in the bathroom stopped running and Peter quickly closed the box and hid deep in his bag of clothes as Olivia stepped out of the bathroom. "Peter, did you see what Dr. Bell left in that case he gave you?"

He quickly put on a smile as he showed Olivia the opened briefcase. "I think we're gonna be okay, Olivia."

To see Olivia's face glowing at the sight of all of that money was the highlight of his night. He knew it meant that Olivia didn't have to drain herself of her abilities for the basic. They would have plenty to eat and plenty to survive on while dealing with such a long and difficult task that was ahead of them. But still that night, Peter stayed awake. He wasn't sure how long he could keep the gun hidden from Olivia's knowledge but perhaps it was for her own good.

* * *

_**Next Chapter: Bad stuff goes down and a face from the past reemerges in time for a certain event. Ho boy!**_


	24. Olivia's 15th

Several months would go by as Peter and Olivia quietly drove from town to town, to every soft spot location where Hope and Olivia would release energy into the earth, still unsure of what effect it would have and whether or not it was even working. All the while, they did what they could to leave few tracks wherever they went, trusting no one, and living under numerous false identities. Peter became crafty at making fake I.D.s for himself and for Olivia. They could barely pass for 18 in some areas, if they pulled it off.

Hope was getting better and stronger by the day. Olivia was also recovering...physically at least. Mentally, Peter could never tell. Even with their special bond, Peter could tell when Olivia was trying to shut him out out of fear. And lately, the fear was growing from what Peter could sense. He knew why. He was just afraid to say it out loud without upsetting her.

"I know what tomorrow is," said Peter. "You know, we don't have to do anything. We could find a nice quiet place and stay in for the whole day."

"Peter, we don't have to. The faster we get all of this done, the better."

"It's only for one day," said Peter. "And we could use a break. Being on the road for months, takes a lot out of you."

Driving further into the country, Olivia was feeling uneasy for some reason but she managed to shake it off. The area they drove through seemed familiar to her but she couldn't recall where. Eventually they found an enclave of fishing cottages, a perfect place it seemed to settle in for a couple of nights. It had all the feeling of home that they hadn't experience in months. With all the money they got from William Bell, it was splurge they could afford. But Olivia still felt uneasy. "It's okay, Olivia," Peter assured her. "We've had our close calls with the shapeshifters but we're okay here. And it's only until tomorrow passes."

"I know," said Liv. "I still feel strange about this place."

But there wasn't another place to stay for miles and it was already late. Peter only went out once to stock up on food and diapers for the tomorrow as well as surveying the area. It seemed safe. He could tell the people that lived in the area were just people.

He just overlooked the one man who had been watching them since Peter and Olivia pulled up to the cottage that day.

...

Dawn came, and Olivia had bad dreams about today, just as she expected to. Fortunately, Peter was there wrapping an arm around Olivia and pulling her closer giving her assurance she had yet to feel.

"Happy Birthday."

She smiled "Thanks, Peter."

"I've got everything we need so we don't have to step one foot outside today. We can even stay in bed all day if you wanted to."

Olivia shook. "You must think I'm crazy for wanting to hide."

"Of course not. I understand."

"I just wish I could remember what happened, when I was there."

"Well even if he was alive, Olivia. We've been traveling from place to place, calling ourselves every name we could think of. We wouldn't be that easy to find. Besides, you shouldn't have to think about that on your birthday. How about a real birthday wish...what would it be Olivia?"

"I wish," she said. "I wish we could be back at Reiden Lake...with your parents...before everything went wrong."

Peter sighed. The very thing Olivia wanted was the thing he wanted too.

...

The day was going by with particular ease. When they weren't sleeping, Olivia and Peter were spending most of their time with their daughter. Peter could tell that over the course of the past several months, Olivia's relationship with her daughter was getting better. She was becoming more accepting of her role as a mother, even though it was still with its challenges. Holding Hope's hand helped to strengthen that bond with her daughter and even form a deeper attachment to her.

"I think Hope needs a bath."

"How do you know?" asked Peter. "Did you hold her hand?"

"No," Olivia laughed. "I can smell it. I'll be with her in the bathroom."

"Okay, when you come out. I have your birthday dessert ready."

"I told you I don't like cakes."

"They're just cupcakes, but I couldn't get 15 candles to fit on them."

"Cupcakes are fine, Peter," she said. While Olivia was in the bathroom giving Hope a bath, Peter was working in the kitchen to give Olivia a nice birthday dinner that he hopes would get them through the last hours of the day. Just as he was setting up the table, waiting for Olivia to finish up, there was a knock at the door. He went to the front door and cautiously looked through the peephole. It looked like one of the ground workers he saw working in the area last night. Peter was now cursing himself for forgetting to put up the "Do Not Disturb" sign. The only thing he could do now was to answer the door and make it quick. As he unlocked the door, Peter was getting a bad feeling in his gut about the man on the other side of it. And then suddenly something was slid under the door. Peter bent down only to see upon further inspection that it was a card...

Olivia at the moment, had just finished bathing Hope and was putting her to sleep in the bedroom.

BAM!

She had never heard a more terrifying sound in her life, and it was enough to make Hope cry. "Shh, it's okay, baby. Don't worry. Mommy's gonna be right back." Olivia carefully stepped out into the hallway. "Peter, are you okay? Are you there, Peter?"

Stepping into the living room, the first thing she spotted was an unconscious Peter lying behind the opened front door, blood dripping from his forehead. Standing by him was a pair of feet Olivia recognized. Her eyes looked up to him in and the familiar feeling of terror struck hard at her. She knew now why this place made her uncomfortable. She had been here, somewhere here, in a dark cellar for six months.

"You got some nerve coming back around here, darlin'."

She couldn't think. Instinctively, Olivia turned and ran for the bedroom knowing that there was no way out of the cottage. But Hope was in there and she had to get to her.

But her stepfather grabbed Olivia halfway down the hall and soon, Olivia was pummeled with a hard fist...a feeling she thought she never had to experience again. She was starting to feel numb and dizzy.

"This will teach you." Olivia could see his hand going down, his other going at her shirt. The memories were flooding back in full force. It was happening again, and this time she couldn't run from it. He was strong and he was sober enough to keep her pinned.

Her pants were dragged down, about a few inches. But as soon as his hands were on her exposed waist, Olivia felt like she was going to be sick. And suddenly, she felt a burning, stinging sensation from the touch. She heard her stepfather yell out in pain. "Son of a bitch!"

The hand that tried to touch Olivia was now red and burning. Angrily, he took another go. His other hand reached out to rip a her bra, but as soon as his hand hovered over her chest, it started glow and then became inflamed. Olivia stepped back as her stepfather's hand was now on fire.

"What the hell?" Her stepfather continued to scream in pain for only a few seconds until...

BANG! BANG!

His face was covered in blood as Olivia watched her stepfather fallover dead, with two bullet holes straight through the skull. She looked up to see Peter slouching against a wall with a gun in his hand. He walked over to put out the fire that was still burning on the dead man's hand.

"Olivia?"

When Peter tried to approach her, she curled herself up even more...as if she was trying to distance herself from him. And then they both heard Hope crying. "Olivia, listen to me." But her eyes were still on that of her stepfather's oozing corpse. "We have to get Hope. We have to get out of here."

Peter never had to pack so quickly in his life. In the process, he also had to make sure that no prints were left behind so they could be identified. He managed to get all three of them in the car, along with their things, within minutes as they sped off. All that was left behind in that cottage was a dead body and a birthday card left forgotten on the floor.

...

They found themselves camping in the Vista hours away in a very remote area. Peter knew they couldn't stay very long, but what happened back at the cottage all happened so fast. They needed time to finally break down. "You okay?" Peter whispered to Olivia.

She tried to move her head but couldn't give him a straight answer. "Where did you...where did you get that gun?"

"From Bell," he said. "It was in the briefcase with the money." She looked at him in shock. "You're mad aren't you?"

"I...," she said. "I don't know how to feel."

"I'm shaking Olivia. I didn't think I would do it. But...I sensed it. I knew when I saw him over you what he...almost did to you and I just lost it."

Olivia held Peter's hand. "I'm okay now."

"You set him on fire?"

"I don't know what happened there."

They said nothing more as they both fell asleep.

The Observer was watching them from his binoculars. There was much to record as he had seen the power of the bond in action. Because Olivia was already bonded to Peter, no other could touch her thereafter. Progress was being made in the course of restoring balance to the universes. The energy Hope and Olivia was giving was transferring well to the other universe. But he knew the Secretary would remain their greatest obstacle. And it was only a matter of time before everything came to ahead.


	25. An Offer

Ever since what happened at the fishing cottage, Peter and Olivia were reaching their breaking point. Olivia's stepfather was one less problem in their lives but the very memory still remained with them. Even Peter was still having nightmares about it. He had never held or fired a gun in his life. Yet it came so naturally to him the moment he pulled that trigger. What finally broke him was hearing the loud shots that came with it.

He was naive to think that they could go through this whole journey without having to kill, and it made him wonder if he would eventually have to kill his own father in order for all of it to end.

It became so nerve-wracking that Peter and Olivia found themselves in the coming weeks falling behind in their task, resting more and traveling less. Because right now, they didn't know how much more of this they could take. They just wanted it to be over. And if it were not for the many who sought them, Peter and Olivia would just drop everything, take their baby girl and find a place to live out the rest of their lives in peace. All of their other dreams for the future had been ruined by the two worlds. This was all they had left to hold on to.

They had been camping out by a lake though at this point, they lost track of where they were and found themselves wanderers as they were before. Olivia heard a strange sound outside the tent, and having remembered that Peter had gone out to get more water, she hurried out carrying Hope with her, thinking that something might be wrong.

But on the other side of the rocks, she saw Peter hugging his knees and shaking and sobbing. "Peter?"

He turned red at the sight of Olivia. "Damn, Olivia." Peter wiped away his own tears. "You don't know how embarrassing it is to have you see me cry."

She approached Peter until she was sitting right next to him. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," he said. "I'm supposed to be the strong one here."

"Peter, you know that's always possible...not after everything." She reached out to hold his hand. "I'm here for you. She's here for you, too."

Peter gave a weak smile but he knew it wasn't enough to get him back to a right state of mind. He hated himself for being this weak, especially since he was now a parent. After staying by Peter's side for a long time, Olivia pulled Peter up and the two of them decided the camp was no longer a comforting place for them to be.

...

A few more hours later, the family sat in a diner, trying to figure out what they were going to do.

"I guess, all we can do is just keep going," said Olivia as she looked at the map.

"There's just too many places left to go," said Peter. "I'm completely worn out."

"I know what you mean."

"Do you ever think about what we'll do after all of this is over?"

"We don't know if it will ever be over."

"I know that," said Peter. "But I'm thinking if Walter doesn't get out of St. Claire's maybe we could go see your family again in Jacksonville. They probably think you're dead."

Olivia looked down. "Maybe it's better that way. I mean, look at how much hurt and trouble I've caused them just by coming home."

"That's not your fault, Olivia."

"I have a baby, Peter. I can't say that shooting someone and becoming a mom at my age makes me a good influence on my sister. I know my Aunt and Uncle wouldn't think so. I feel like I've done nothing but shamed my family."

Peter held her hand. "Well I'm not doing any better. You know when my mom died, her last words to me were _'be a better man than your father'_. But I'm a long ways away from accomplishing that."

"That's not true," said Olivia. "Look at all you've done for me, and Hope."

After the meal, Peter was feeling a bit better about himself. He knew that they had to move forward with that they were doing. They still had a baby to take care of and a couple of universes to save.

He went into the restroom to refresh himself, but as soon as he step out of one of the stalls, he was grabbed and pinned against a wall. Peter knew by the strength of the grip that was holding him that the attacker was a shapeshifter. "I have a message from your father."

"What? No greeting card?"

The shapeshifter tightened his grip on Peter. "He wants to have a word with you."

Peter tried to kick at the being. "Tell him to go to hell and stay away from my family!"

The shapeshifter then let go of Peter after raising him a couple of feet, causing Peter to fall to the ground in pain. "I'm here alone. The Secretary has ordered us to not approach them until he has his meeting with you." He pulled out a key from his pocket and dropped it infront of Peter. "About two hours down the road, you're going to see a motel called the Amber Dome Motel. You and your family are going to check in and once you do, you're going to return this key to its rightful owner in one of the rooms. Daddy will be waiting for you there."

"You'll have to do better than that," said Peter.

"I already have. The motel is located across the street from a sniper's paradise, and if he sees your car so much as drive an inch past the entrance, he won't hesitate to shoot anyone and everyone who's in that car with you. I got a couple of others who are keeping track of you on the road. So don't try to do anything stupid. Then again, you're just a kid. You wouldn't surprise me."

Peter growled but the shapeshifter managed to give him a kick in the stomach and walked out of the restroom. Peter struggled to get up and hurried back to the table with the key now in his pocket. To his surprise, Olivia and Hope were still sitting there completely unaware of what had just happened.

"Oh my god. Peter, you look hurt. What happened to you?"

Peter clutched his stomach but gave Olivia an assuring smile. "It's nothing, really. I just had a bad slip in there."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he bluffed. "Let's just get going."

Peter kept insisting he was fine throughout the drive but told Olivia that he would pull into a motel as soon as he started feeling more pain. It was far from the truth as Peter was feeling better but with shapeshifters now watching him like a hawk, he didn't have a choice but to play along. He didn't want to frighten Olivia with what was happening.

"Peter? Are you okay?"

He was sweating despite his efforts to lie. "I'm fine, Olivia."

Hope was starting to cry. "Oh no, what's wrong with her?"

They were getting closer and closer to the motel, seeing signs for it on the way. In his mind, Peter was weighing his options. He knew the shapeshifters were in sight. He knew the sniper would be waiting for them. Even with a gun, it wasn't enough to fight so many of them. And using Olivia's abilities was a risk, especially while driving.

Before Peter could make a decision though, it was already too late. The motel was in sight, and Peter tried to hold his tears while pulling the Vista into the motel's parking lot. "Stay in the car, Olivia," said Peter. As he got out, a man was casually walking by Peter as if to follow him into the check-in room and Peter knew it was a shapeshifter. The shapeshifter even got close enough to him to say "Good. Now do what we told you to do and we won't go anywhere near your girls." The shapeshifter then walked further away as Peter checked in for the night. He then went to the car and took Olivia and Hope to their room.

"Peter, you're trying to keep something from me."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are! Just please tell me what's wrong."

Peter groaned. "Look, I'll tell you but after I step out for a minute. Just stay in the room and get Hope to calm down." While Olivia angrily went to the bathroom, Peter bent down and pulled out the box with the gun from his things. He placed the box on the table so that Olivia could have quick access to it. He then went over to hold Hope's hand. Unlike, her mother, she knew what was happening and would not stop crying about it. "I'm sorry," said Peter. "Protect your mommy, okay? I love you."

Peter slowly let go and walked out the door. He went up and down the motel building to find the room number that was on the key he was given only to find no such room. But then he saw that there was another building around the corner, an abandoned, desolate building that was partially decimated from what looked like a fire. One of the rooms still standing was room 48, the number on the key. He went up to the door and the key unlocked it, allowing him access.

Sure enough, he was sitting there, the man that Peter could not call father anymore. Indeed, this Walter was nothing like the one that took him. The Secretary looked more together with himself. His hair and attire were smoother and he looked less wrinkled. He gave him an eerie smile from the chair he sat in. "Hello, son."

Peter said nothing but Walternate continued "I never thought I would see you after again so long."

"You had a number of times," said Peter. "...when you weren't trying to kidnap Olivia...or our baby."

"Strangely ironic, isn't it," said Walternate. "I do apologize for it, Peter. It's why I requested a private meeting with you. And I assure you, Olivia and your child are safe..."

"Until, after we're done talking. Is that it?"

"Peter, I've come to you with a proposition, an offer to all three of you that can bring you peace."

"I can't imagine what that could be," Peter said sarcastically.

"I believe that I can forgive the girl for taking you away from me and the man who took you is incarcerated. So there is no need to extract revenge on him. I know that the woman who raised you here is also dead. Therefore, I don't see why you have anymore reason to stay here, in this universe...except for her. I propose that she come to live with us...her, and your daughter. All three of you can return with me and be given sanctuary. You'll never have to worry about anyone seeking them or trying to harm them again. I can grant you and your family all the luxuries and comforts you may desire back in our world. Best of all, you'll get to be with your mother again. She misses you very much, Peter and if she can accept the idea of that girl and the child as family...perhaps I can too."

Peter laughed. "You really think you'll do all of that for us without some sort of catch? I know what you said about Olivia. I know what you want from them, their energy, their abilities..."

"That may be true. However, I've determined that there is a way I can get more of what they possess without resorting to experimentation and it can be accomplished with one simple request."

"What's that?"

"That you and Olivia continue to produce more children."

"...what?"

"The lab was able to determine it, where the source of energy in Olivia's blood came from...where your child received such immense powers. It was a combination of her abilities and your genetic makeup...a natural, physical combination. If it's the only way that a child with such gift can be created, then I'm sure you and that girl will have no difficulty in doing it again. If we keep up with increasing her fertility and accelerating each pregnancy, that should allow her to give birth once each month, provided we keep up with her cycle. In a few years time, we should have the beginnings of an army that can one day destroy this universe and completely reshape our own to our liking."

Peter felt like he was going to be sick. "You're crazy! You can't put her through that. She almost died the first time because of what you did. You put her through that again, you'll kill her!"

"I know that it was a risk when I first gave the injection given her young age and lack of development. But now that she's endured the process once, her body should be able to cope in a few years time."

"The answer is no!"

"Son..."

"I am NOT your son."

"If that's how it must be then..." Walternate brought his arm up and communicated into his watch. "Advance on them."


	26. Subjects

**This chapter gets pretty dark...and I think I reached a new low as far as Walternate's villainy is concerned...**

Olivia had been waiting at the window for god knows how long. But no sign of Peter. Hope was crying again and Olivia went to hold her hand. "What's wrong?"

She couldn't tell what she was sensing in Hope's distress, but she knew it had something to do with Peter. And then she noticed the gun left on the table. Something terrible had happened to Peter. But before Olivia could determine what to do, she heard unusual rumbling and stomping outside the room. The shadows through the window curtains indicated more and more figures gathering just outside her door.

She quickly grabbed Hope but she was so terrified, she had no idea what to do. The door was being kicked open the moment Olivia reached for the gun. Her one and only experience with shooting a gun had been so long ago at this point, that she couldn't balance the gun in one hand while holding Hope with the other.

The intruders swiftly broke through the doors and the windows. Olivia couldn't think. Her instincts instead went for clutching Hope to her chest while firing the gun off at the same time. She was able to fire off a few rounds, but it only slowed some of them down. The gun fumbled out of her hand as she was no longer able to control it.

Fortunately when the first shapeshifters tried to approach them, a great force was able to push them back against the other intruders. Hope was able to hold them back but there were still too many. The shapeshifters were blocking their only escape, forcing mother and child to step further back into the room. The fear increased and Olivia was feeling dizzy and suddenly, bursts of flames appeared throughout the room.

Some of the shapeshifters scattered but others did not. It was a distraction that was all for naught as there was no escape for Olivia and the baby. Olivia ran into the bathroom with Hope and locked the door. She knew it wasn't a good idea to go into this room with a fire right outside, but she didn't have any choice.

The smoke was slowly seeping in. Olivia knew there was only one option remaining, but it was one she was too hesitant to take. She got as low as she could to the ground with Hope and closed her eyes as a light began to surround them. She didn't want to cross over…not without Peter. She couldn't leave Peter not knowing where he was, but Hope's safety was more important and they were running out of time.

"I'm sorry, Peter," she cried. The light gave way and soon everything around her was glistening with a strange dark tone. She was feeling something sticky and immobilized all over. At this point, Olivia knew that something was terribly wrong about this crossing. She couldn't breathe. It was like when she tried to escape from her stepfather's cellar, only instead of being trapped by dirt, she was trapped by something else sticky and gooey.

Her mind was screaming 'oh god!' as she realized that whatever this substance was that was trapping her was slowly consuming every inch of her and Hope. Her mind seemed frozen in that moment of terror. The last of anything Olivia was aware of was being frozen and several small shadows beyond the encasement approaching them.

The shadows were vehicles: two trucks and a black car. From the trucks came various soldiers bearing the Fringe Division logo. From the black car came the Secretary. He walked closer to the encased amber and identified Olivia in the amber, still clutching her child. "It's them," said the Secretary. "Take extra caution removing them. I want them revived on the way to the lab."

The Fringe soldiers began the cautious task or removing the girls from their encasement as the Secretary went to the trunk of his car and opened it up. Peter was inside the trunk, still unconscious as he was when he stopped him from leaving his hotel room and then brought him back to his side. "Forgive me," said Walternate. "This was the only way". He then closed the trunk and then proceeded to drive Peter to see his mother.

…

Olivia started to regain her senses, but her memory was still trapped in the moment of herself and Hope being encased in the amber. She felt as if she was being tossed around, but at least she was feeling a bit more mobile now. She remembered coughing a lot and her surroundings seemed to echo all around. Slowly she started to realize that her baby was nowhere to be found, and then she felt her head being pulled up and an incredible painful stabbing to the back of her neck and screamed. She could feel two strange objects practically drilling themselves into the back of her neck and as she was losing all strength and energy from the pain, she also felt her neck suddenly become incredibly stiff and immobile.

She was unaware that she was now in a hospital gown strapped in a gurney and was being wheeled out of a truck into a lab. The pain and immobility still stuck with her, but also the terror and uncertainty. Where was Hope? Where was Peter?

The stiffness in her neck was caused by some sort of brace and she was unable to turn her head or see anything but the ceiling lights as they swerved above her. She then saw a shadow loom over her of what appeared to be a lab doctor looking down at her. She couldn't see anything beyond his scrubs and face mask. Olivia tried to mumble something to the doctor but it was incoherent. She then tried to move her head despite the stiffness, only to cry in pain.

"You need to relax," said the doctor. "The stiffness is only temporary. In a few more hours, you should be able to move it a bit more, but at least you can't crossover or set fire to us anymore."

Another doctor appeared blocking the light that hovered over Olivia. "Here it is, doctor. All the tests that Secretary Bishop has requested." The doctor looked through all the papers that were given to him. It was a very thick list. "I don't believe it. He notarized all of these requests?"

"He wants every possible sample that can be collected from the subjects to determine their physical properties."

"Very well," he said. "I'll need more syringes since we're working with two subjects. Start with the basic tests and go from there."

"My baby…"

The doctors completely ignored Olivia as they went to work. She continued to cry and scream out but the doctors only stuffed her mouth with gauze in order to get her to stop. "God, I wish the Secretary didn't insisted on no drugs," he grumbled.

The first needles that went into Olivia's body felt like horrible wasp stings. She was terrified but it seemed the doctors weren't injecting things into her…they were collecting things from her. It was the Secretary's orders that any body sample that could be collected was. The needles were being stabbed into practically every single area of her body, and she could do nothing to relieve from the pain except to bite down on the gauze in her mouth. The worst was when her bed was turned over and they injected a needle right into her spine. Without her abilities, and being strapped to the bed with virtually no immobility, all she could do was silently cry. Once the spinal injection was completed, the pain was so unbearable that Olivia thought the worst had to be over…

…it wasn't.

Aside from needles there was also probing devices. Some were piercing to the skin, while others were further and more personally invasive. Olivia did everything to shut her mind off from the pain and irritation that the biopsies and probes were causing inside her own body. The doctors seemed to show no emotion throughout the process of their work. Olivia was after all from another universe and according to Secretary Bishop, any being from that universe was less a human being than a test subject for study.

What they were doing to her might as well have gone on for a year. But as the doctors promised, she was slowly gaining mobility in her neck, although the two strange drills in the back of her neck remained and continued to make her sore. Slowly Olivia moved her neck and could see tables lining up with test tubes…test tubes of the numerous things that the doctors had collected from Olivia within the past several hours.

Exhausted and in excruciating pain, there was no putting up any form of struggle as the doctors finally moved Olivia down the hall. Several doctors freed her from her straps and had to help her into the cell. They sat her down on the bed. Olivia tried to lie down but doing so caused even more pain than she already was in.

As the doctors walked out, another came in wheeling a medical bassinet and Hope was lying there on her back and crying. Despite her lack of strength, Olivia weakly made her way over. She saw a small but strange brace on Hope's neck and Olivia knew that it was a brace similar to the one she was currently wearing to refrain from the use of their abilities. As she carefully picked her up, Olivia lifted up the back of the paper thin medical gown that Hope was wearing and saw several puncture spots along the child's spine. There were similar wounds along her tiny arms.

Olivia wept, holding Hope as tight as she could without increasing the pain that she was already suffering from. She tried to hold her hand but the neck braces hindered any ability to comfort or connect with her. It pained Olivia to see this special little girl of hers who had protected her parents from so much suddenly become so helpless, being treated as nothing more than a lab animal. The worst part was knowing that Peter would have no idea where they were. There was nothing that they could do but dread tomorrow's round of testings.

...

The Secretary finally arrived at the labs later that day. He knew that his son would not be awake for another day at least and was resting comfortably at the Reiden Lake house. The doctors finally gave him results from the tests performed on Olivia and Hope that day.

"As we've discovered from the child's blood and spinal fluid samples, she's able to produce a massive amount of storable energy but it wouldn't be enough to really create some massive universal events. That would require many more just like her."

"So it seems that we do need this particular Olivia if we're to have to produce more children just like her own," said Walternate.

"It does require your son's involvement as well."

"He would never agree to it. There has to be an alternative way that we can do this that wouldn't involve him."

One of the scientists at the meeting raised his hand. "We could try cloning the babies and implanting them into the subject."

Another scientist argued "There's no guarantee. Many of our human clones are born with underdeveloped organs. They would require an organ replacement from their original source within days after birth or they wouldn't survive."

Walternate had been in deep thought until he came to a realization. "But we have the technology to grow enough these organs separately."

"That process takes months," said one doctor. "...and would require a majority of tissue from the original organs."

Walternate was silent for a very long time. The other scientists in the room couldn't tell if their Secretary already knew the answer to their problem. But Walternate did. And it was in fact a very massive moral dilemma. "That child would be of no use to us. She has a strong connection with her parents and her resistance against us would remain permanent. But if we were to clone her we could alter the DNA to take out that ability to resist us. I think it is possible."

"And what about the organ failures? That baby's not gonna have enough organ tissue to give for those other clones to survive."

"Not unless we harvest them now."

The room went dead silent. "You're suggesting..." said one nervous scientist, "that we..."

"Have the first born killed and her organs removed for replicating?" Walternate turned to them coldly. "Then you are correct. But as I have reminded you before, that child is far from human and a threat that we can only hold back for so long. Her death might be of no value to us...but her organs and DNA will be."

**Next chapter will explain where the hell Peter was in all of this...and oh yeah...Walternate is soooo going to hell.**


	27. Blood & Vengeance

**More dark stuff in this chapter. Dedicated to angellcakes23 for giving me my 100****th**** review for this story.**

"Olivia?"

Peter screamed the name before opening his eyes. Wherever he was, it was certainly not the motel room that he was speaking to his father in earlier. He felt dizzy as he tried to recall how he woke up in this bed with an IV attached to his arm.

Suddenly a woman rushed in. "Peter? Peter, it's alright."

"Mom?"

"Yes, Peter. It's me."

He groaned. "What happened?"

"Your father brought you here two nights ago."

"Olivia," Peter remembered. "Mom, he has them. He has Hope and Olivia."

"Peter…"

"Where are they? I know he sent some guys after them."

Elizabeth sighed. "Peter, your father said that they went to your motel room and found no one. It was empty. He said that she left you…and took the baby with her."

But Peter looked into his birth mother's eyes and saw a questionable flinch. "You're lying."

"Peter…"

"He told you to say that to me!"

Elizabeth finally broke. "I had to, Peter."

"You got Olivia's blood for him. You knew those men were coming for Olivia when you left the house that night. You knew about the baby before Olivia and I did. You've been on his side this whole time."

"But Peter, don't you see what that girl has done to you? To us? She kept you from coming back to us. She made you a father while you are still just a child. That girl is not normal, and she's tainted you."

"Mom, she never kept me from coming back. That was MY choice! She even thought at one time that I should've gone home, but I couldn't. I don't belong here anymore, don't you understand? Olivia and I…we're connected now and we would never leave each other. We could never stop loving each other."

"And what about the baby?"

"She's beautiful mom and I don't regret her one bit. She was made out of pure love."

"But they're not normal."

"Do you know what we've been doing for the past several months? We've going around the country healing your world, with their abilities. Something they would never be able to do if they didn't have that power."

Elizabeth seemed surprised at this. "Is it true?"

"You have to believe me, mom. Please, I just want them back."

Elizabeth had been conflicted by her emotions. Losing Peter made it easy for her to believe everything bad her husband said about the other world. Clearly Peter was not the son she once had and so she gave in. "Peter, all I wanted was for things to be like they were before."

"Me too, mom."

"I know that can never be. And you don't deserve to lose your child as I've lost you. I'll take you to them."

…

All through the night, Olivia tried to comfort Hope as best as she could, holding her in her arms, even when the lights shut off and they were left in complete darkness. Olivia found it much harder to be a mother to Hope without their abilities to clue her in on what she was feeling. But Olivia knew they were both scared and in pain.

With every hour that passed, it seemed they were being treated less like human beings and more like objects. On her wrist, Olivia wore a band identifying her as "Subject A". Her baby wore a similar band referring to her as "Subject B".

At an unexpected hour, the lights in the cell came back on and the door opened. Several labcoats were by the door and joining them was the Secretary. He showed no emotion as he commanded, "have Subject B removed from the cell".

One labcoat retrieved the medical bassinet while the others approached Olivia. "No!" she screamed. "Please! Don't take my baby!"

Hope began to cry as the strange men tried to pry her from Olivia's arms. Olivia did everything she could to hold onto her daughter. The Secretary then came into the cell grabbing Olivia's arms forcing her to lose her grip on Hope as she was handed over to a labcoat.

"NO! Bring back my baby!"

Olivia screamed and thrashed her way to get back to Hope while still being restrained by the men in the cell. When the Secretary turned to her, Olivia swiped her hand along the Secretary's face causing him to cringe in pain. Olivia's sharp nails had unintentionally left nasty red scratches along the Secretary's face. Olivia calmed when she realized what she did and now look upon the Secretary with terror.

"It seems this one hasn't been tested on enough," said the Secretary. "Give Subject A another round of tests." He angrily stormed away and joined the others who were now taking Hope down to a further floor to a dark lab at the far end of the hall.

They entered a lab where many dissections and autopsies take place, a lab where dead humans and animals alike were contained in glass tanks while their organs were preserved in jars in preparation for cloning or study. Surprisingly though, the corpses were in perfect condition in their state of preservation and never showed any signs of rotting or decomposition. They couldn't be seen as dead except for the stitches on the bodies indicating where their organs had been extracted.

The only scientist in the room at the time was surprised to see the Secretary come in with a living human infant. "What's this?"

"This is the mixed-universe subject born from the womb of one over there, the one with the abilities that threaten our very world," said the Secretary. "You'll have the subject's organs removed and stored properly. The body as well. We need to preserve any strain of DNA from the subject if possible."

The Secretary assisted the scientist in turning Hope over on her stomach and removing the child's neck brace leaving only two needles inside of Hope's neck. "She's not gonna attack once we take it off, will she?"

The Secretary said, "No, it will take time for the effects to wear off as along as the needles are still in her. Extract the brain first and you should have no problem. Once the brain is removed I want it brought to me for study."

"You want this done while she's still alive?"

"…and clean of any drugs," said the Secretary. "We can't let anything compromise her organs. We need them functioning while they're being removed."

The Secretary left the lab and went further down the hall he could hear cries of physical pain coming from 'Subject A'. He entered the surgery room to find her lying on the bed crying in pain. The doctors had just finished the procedure.

"How was the egg removal?"

Beyond the tears she gave him a cold look, but the Secretary only sneered back at her. He could tell she was still in pain from the having numerous tools and a giant needle crammed into her birth canal without any warning and without any drugs. It was a punishment she deserved though, in his mind.

"Not enough?"

"I want…my baby," she growled.

The Secretary ignored her and turned to a doctor. "Have her neck brace removed and bring her to the Mind Melter, quickly."

The doctor was in shock as to what the Secretary was asking for but knew to not question his judgment. He had Olivia strapped to a gurney and brought to a very large room where a massive CatScan-like machine was in the very center, the room was filled with scientists.

Olivia was dizzy. Although the neck brace was removed, she could still feel pain and was bleeding from the two needles still in her neck. She looked in terror at the sight of the machine they were going to put her in.

The Secretary approached her to explain the process. "I've been working for years to perfect this device for the government. It's intended to relieve the over-crowding of our prison system by punishing criminals of great severity, but not enough for the death penalty. Once connected, their mind shall be increasingly tortured by their worst memories and nightmares until the brain becomes exhausted and 'breaks'. The subject will no longer have control of their own brain functioning. Outside sources will have complete control of that."

Olivia screamed as scientists began to install needles and small bits of magnets into her head. It wasn't the pain that made her terrified now but the knowledge that once she entered the Mind Melter, she would become a vegetable and the Secretary would have complete control of her mind and body. Even worse, he would have complete access to her abilities.

…

Baby Hope now lied naked and helpless on her stomach with dotted lines all over her body. She was placed in a large tray as the scientist was about to begin his incision of the child's brain.

He heard the door open and was suddenly thrown to the floor by a young attacker. They began struggling on the floor as Elizabeth entered the lab. "Peter!"

Peter continued to struggle with the scientist on the floor. "Get the baby!"

Elizabeth went to the table and saw Hope lying there. She grabbed some tweezers hoping to find a way to carefully remove the needles in the child's neck while Peter still fought the scientist. He finally had him thrown into a glass tank causing it to break and having shards stab into the scientist's body. Peter continued to beat the man's head into the glass.

"Peter! We shouldn't have snuck in like this."

He left the scientist in the mess of glass shards to slowly bleed to death and turned to his mother. "We didn't have a choice. They're trying to kill them." Peter took Hope into his arms. She was bleeding from having the needles in her neck removed and cried from the pain. "It's okay. Daddy's here."

Little did he know that the scientist was slowly reaching into his pocket for his gun and using what little strength he had was pointing it at Peter's back.

"PETER!"

The gun fired at the very moment Elizabeth pushed her son and her grandchild out of the way. Peter could see the gaping hole and the blood spewing from her mother's chest as she fell to the floor.

"MOM!"

Elizabeth gasped for air as her son hovered over her. "Mom, you have to hang on."

"No, Peter." She was coughing blood. "You have to go…be with your family."

"Mom…"

"I'm so sorry, Peter." She coughed one last time. "Be a…better man than your father…"

She lied dead before Peter could say another word. He was shaking now, barely keeping a hold on his child. He turned in anger to the scientist, but it didn't matter. He had already bled to death. Peter went over and grabbed the gun from his hand.

The words of his mother still haunted him as he carried Hope out of the death-ridden, blood-soaking room. They were the same last words his mother in the other universe left him. Looking at Hope and realizing what that scientist was going to do to her, Peter's rage intensified. He would look for Olivia, for his father. He was out for cold-blooded revenge now and God help anyone who would stand in his way.


	28. Half Dead

**Actually posted this chap a few days ago but for some reason I wasn't getting any reviews so…let's try again!**

Peter hurried down the dark hallways with Hope in his arms. Even so many people running around, he was able to conceal himself and his daughter. He wasn't going to use the gun until it was absolutely necessary. Hope luckily remained calm, despite having nearly been killed. But Peter held her hand and could sense that she wasn't feeling too well. She had been separated from her mother for too long, and Peter knew they had to get to Olivia soon.

He cautiously traveled up several flights of stairs as the lights began to flicker with great intensity. As they got closer, a scream began to echo down the halls. Realizing it was Olivia, Peter stormed his way toward the direction of the noise. By the time he had arrived at a pair of huge doors, that screaming had died. Peter was spotted but he didn't care as he kicked the doors opened and pulled out the gun at all the person within the laboratory.

"Nobody move!"

Several guards and scientists pulled out their guns at Peter while others stood around in shock.

"Stand down. Lower your weapons…now."

Everyone in the room obeyed the Secretary and began to back away as he stepped forward. He looked his son rather pathetically as he tried to hold Hope in one arm while aiming the gun at Walternate with the other. "Peter, how did you get here?"

"Where is she?" Peter growled. "Where's Olivia?"

"Answer my question first."

Peter shook. "M-m-m-mom…she's dead because of you."

Walternate flinched at the news but then became furious and cold. "No. She's dead because of YOU. You and your stupidity. Everything would've worked out. All of this could've been prevented Peter, if you hadn't lost control of your hormones with that freak."

"Enough!" he cried. "Now where's Olivia?"

Walternate said nothing. He only stepped aside to allow and orderly to push a wheelchair by Walternate's side. Olivia was lying limped in the wheelchair her body slumping to one side and her head rolled back. She made no eye contact. She had no awareness of her surroundings.

"She's not dead. We've only encased her consciousness within the deepest regions of her mind." From out of his pocket, Walternate pulled out a small metal pointer, the size of a pen. He slightly pushed Olivia's head forward so that the pointer could react with the needles and magnets in her skull. The moment it did, Olivia screamed in pain. Her body began to twitch in response and suddenly a pillar of fire appeared in the center of the room but once Walternate pulled the pointer away, the pillar of fire vanished. "You see there? Only I can tap into her abilities now."

Peter aimed his gun at Walternate. Everyone in the room seemed on edge, but the Secretary stood his ground. "You won't make it out of here alive, son. But if you hand me subject B, I can make sure you do."

"Sick bastard," said Peter. "How can you this to us? To me? I'm your son."

"And I've only been trying to save you from them. I've been too kind to you Peter. These are not humans. These are scientific abominations and if we don't control them, they will control us. I ask you one last time, hand the subject over to me."

But Peter turned his back to his father, struggling to hold back the tears. He knew at this point, Olivia was beyond saving, but he could still save Hope and he knew he had to get her out of here while he still can. But everyone within the room was slowly advancing on Peter trying to stop him from getting away. He heard Olivia scream once more as he was suddenly losing his grip on Hope. It was almost as if she was pulling herself out of Peter's arms but it was in fact an invisible force trying to pull them apart from each other. Peter looked back to see Olivia twitching and screaming some more as Walternate continued to tap the pointer lightly against Olivia's head.

That's when Hope was finally ripped from Peter's grasp. The baby was starting to levitate and was floating in midair across the room until she landed safely in Olivia's lap. Peter was finally apprehended at that moment.

Walternate looked at him victoriously. "This is for the best, Peter. They've put our universe in peril and now we must put an end to it. You've been in that world so long, it's confused you. But one day, you'll understand."

Peter knew better than to believe his father. Regardless, it seemed to his great despair that Walternate had won. Olivia was no longer present and Hope was beyond his reach. He could see his daughter curling into her mother's lap trying to get some form of response only to get none. She cried and reached her hands out to grasp one of Olivia's. Even from where he stood, Peter could feel their connection but it was very weak. Olivia was in pain, her mind trapped in a very dark place, and the baby was trying to reach out to her despite all of that.

But Walternate noticed right away that something was amiss and turned to Olivia and the baby. "Separate them!"

Yet when one of the scientists tried to take Hope from Olivia's lap, they were suddenly thrown back against the walls. Olivia was slowly moving her head and Hope held onto her hand even tighter. Hope wailed louder and suddenly the machines in the room began to malfunction and catch fire causing smoke to spread and everyone in a panic.

Peter struggled to be freed from the men that restrained him, while Walternate grabbed his pointer and tried to use it to get Olivia to stop the child's chaos. He aimed the pointer at one of the magnets in her skull but nothing happened. Olivia was wincing in pain as Hope held onto her mother even tighter. The two were fighting for control over Olivia's entrapped mind and her abilities until Walternate found himself being pulled away. With extreme force, he was then thrown across the lab until he landed in some broken machinery.

Soon Peter was able to break free thanks to Hope. Everyone began to flee the lab as Peter hurried to Olivia. "Olivia?" Her eyes were open but she was unresponsive. The room was filling up with smoke and Peter knew he had no choice but to push the wheelchair and get his family out of that room.

But Walternate managed to pull himself up and pointed his gun at Peter. Peter stopped and pulled out his gun.

"Peter, you wouldn't kill me."

In a way, he was right. Peter hated this man who had to be his father. But there was that young, confused part of himself that couldn't pull the trigger, despite having every reason in the world to.

Little did they know that Hope was whining and Olivia's head began to slightly tilt again and her mouth slightly fell open. No one knew the significance of this until Walternate looked up. Various medical tools and needles were levitating above the Secretary's head, all of its sharp ends were pointing down at him...

...and in one fell swoop they went straight through his head.

Without looking back, Peter pushed Olivia's wheelchair out of the labs and down the halls, desperate to find any exit he could find. Fortunately the chaos left him and his family ignored until he finally found a door and kicked it open, leading them outside. Peter was blinded by the sun for a minute as he tried to figure out where he was. But seeing the waters not too far away, he realized that they were on an island...Liberty Island. They were trapped with no means of escape.

A white van was driving by and suddenly screeched to a halt infront of Peter and Olivia. To his shock, William Bell came out of the van. "Peter, hurry! Get her in!"

He helped Peter to get Olivia's wheelchair into the back of the van and William quickly drove them to the ferry.

"How did you find us?" asked Peter.

"Nina informed me about an attack on a motel on the other side. She knew you've been captured. Now keep quiet and stay low."

Peter sat in the back of the van trying to get Olivia to snap out of it but nothing seemed to be working. Hope was feeling better but she was upset that her mother was still unresponsive.

...

They got to a safe place, which happened to be at the top of one of the Manhattan skyscrapers. Olivia was now lying in a bed completely motionless and being feed through a straw. Peter and Hope had been staying by her side ever since they got here. But nothing changed. She seemed dead even though her heart was still beating and she was breathing.

"This is beyond my expertise," said William. "The only thing I can do now is to get all three of you back to the other world. Massive Dynamic has can get the needles and magnets removed from Olivia's head but beyond that, I'm not sure what more can be done."

"You mean, she's going to be like this forever?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry, Peter. If your daughter is in good condition then perhaps she can cross over and take you both with her. Do you think you can communicate with her to do it?"

"M-maybe…but," Peter choked up. "Can we please have some time alone?"

"Time is of the essence, Peter," William said. "If Olivia has any chance to survive."

For the longest time since William left the room, Peter just sat there, with Hope in his arms, waiting for Olivia to do something…anything. But nothing happened. The room itself was silent except for Hope's occasional crying. Olivia's eyes were still open, yet she didn't even blink as Peter was silently pleading for her to snap out of it…to come back to him.

He knew that Hope wasn't going to survive on without her mother's care. The tears formed slowly. This wasn't how this was supposed to end for either of them. But Peter's worst fear was slowly being realized. He fear he was slowly losing everyone that he ever loved.

**Story to end soon. A few chaps or whatnot. New story out called "Limbo".**


	29. The Nightmare Abyss

Peter spent several hours trying to get Hope calm and prepared for the crossing. He held her hand and Olivia's hoping to get the message across to her daughter of what she must do. William then led them to an elevator. "As soon as these doors close, you'll need to connect with your daughter. Get her to think about the other world and having all three of you back in it."

William then closed the elevator door after bidding Peter farewell. The family held hands as Peter worked to communicate with his girls the vision and need to get back to the other side. He closed his eyes as a blue light surrounded them. Suddenly Peter started to have flashes…flashes of the Secretary, sharp knives and tools, a dark basement. The flashes seemed to pound into Peter's head until he collapsed onto the elevator floor.

The elevator door open to reveal Nina Sharp and a few of her staff, shocked at the sight of the three of them. "Peter?" Nina checked their pulses and then had all of them rushed to the medical ward.

It would be hours before Peter would wake up again in a medical bed. He was both relieved and scared to see Nina appear in his room looking down at a bassinet by Peter's bed. "Ugh…you," he moaned.

Nina turned her sights away from Hope as she was lying in the bassinet. "Yes, Peter. It's me."

Peter looked around. "Where's Olivia?"

"She's in surgery getting the devices removed from her head."

"We made it back?"

"Yes you did. And after all the trouble you and Olivia have been causing these past months, you should consider yourselves lucky."

"Lucky? Lucky? After what Olivia and I have been through, you think it's lucky? You don't even know what my father tried to do Hope…to Olivia!"

"Peter Bishop, everything that's happened to you and Olivia, you brought on yourselves. I had the two of you brought here in the first to keep you both safe. You were supposed to engage in intercourse that would've been enough to help in the healing of both universes but then you run off and have a baby. We've been searching for you all these months but you kept slipping from us."

"You mean…all this time you've been trying to help us?"

Nina sighed. "Peter, I can understand the reluctance you and Olivia had as far as not trusting me. You're both very much children and you've had so much happen to the both of you. William relied on me to assure your safety and I failed in that regard. I'm sorry."

"That's all you have to say, huh?"

An assistant then came into the room informing Nina that Olivia's surgery was completed. Peter was allowed to get up and meet with her. She was lying in a bed peacefully now but with numerous white patched in the back of her head. They had to cut her hair very short in order to get the magnets and needles removed.

"I must warn you, Peter," said Nina. "We've scanned her and there doesn't seem to be any signs of change. We're not certain that she can recover from this."

Peter cried. "But this is Olivia! She has Cortexiphan. Come on. There has to be a way for her to recover from this. Please?"

"There might be one way," said Nina. "But there's no guarantee."

"Anything," Peter pleaded. "Please. I can't lose her. Hope can't lose her. Please."

"Your daughter. She has a strong bond with the both of you. If she was able to get all three of you back, perhaps there's a way for her to get through to her mother's consciousness…or what's left of it. She might be able to take you with her as well but it's a dangerous procedure…one I hate to tell you was one of Dr. Bishop's former projects."

Peter should've known. Anything that Walter had ever worked with has done nothing but wrecked him…and Olivia. Of course and experiment like this would be extremely dangerous. But Peter didn't have to think twice. He knew his little girl wouldn't last very long without her mother.

"Make it happen then."

…

By nightfall, Peter was lying in a bed with his baby daughter while a still unconscious Olivia was lying on the other end. Peter took his hand and could feel nothing…no response from Olivia. It limped as if she truly was dead but her pulse was still present. He placed his Hope's little hand in Olivia's while he held the other little hand and finally laid down and closed his eyes.

He could see some of the same flashes again. They began to pound into his head until suddenly he woke up feeling a bit dizzy, like he was having a bad hangover.

The first thing he noticed was the darkness and before him was a long never ending hall that had a murky smell and feel to it. Peter thought at first that it might be the basement of Massive Dynamic or perhaps an underground sewer. He began walking the hall in absolute silence. Eventually small amounts of light began to appear from the ceiling above but he couldn't tell if the walls to his sides were black or if something was hidden beyond his view.

_He was halfway down the hall when he started hearing a tapping noise. The noise came from behind and he turned around. A little girl was standing before him, she had light brown hair but piercing green eyes and she wore a little red dress. Judging by how small she was and by the wobbling of her little legs as she stood, the girl couldn't have been younger than a year old. And even though it didn't made any sense, Peter knew that the child was his daughter Hope, looking a bit older than she actually was as he knew Hope was nowhere near the age where she could stand on her own yet here she was._

"_Daddy."_

_Peter smiled. In this strange place, his daughter was actually able to talk to him. "Hey baby girl."_

"_You gonna see mommy?"_

"_Yes I am. You know where she is?"_

_The little girl nodded and then walking past Peter pointed down the hall. "Mommy's this way."_

_Peter tried to keep up with her daughter but she was getting surprisingly fast for a girl who was wobbling unevenly with every step. The hall even seemed to stretch to further the distance between Peter and his daughter as she walked further down into the darkness._

_Soon Hope stopped as a light under one particular light and was starting to back away. Peter couldn't see what she was backing away from. He tried to reach his daughter but was forced to stop as he was starting to feel those flashes again. Inbetween the flashes, Peter caught a glimpse at the end of the hall of the Secretary. He was wearing a labcoat and was brandishing a large surgical knife and a syringe. Peter thought he was dead. It just wasn't possible._

_Hope then screamed as the Secretary was coming towards her. "DADDY!"_

_Peter ran as fast as he could to get to her daughter before the Secretary. She was running back to his father now bearing black dotted lines along her face, as she did when he found her in the lab._

_He finally grabbed his daughter as he watched the Secretary walked a few feet towards them and then suddenly vanished beneath a light. The flashing stopped. Peter could see that the black dotted lines on Hope also disappeared. It suddenly came to him then that he was somehow in Hope's mind. It was the bridge he had to cross in order to get to Olivia's and it pained him to know that his little girl remembered. "Oh Hope." He tried to soothe his terrified daughter. "It's okay. He wasn't real. He was just in your imagination. He's gone now."_

"_Bad dream," Hope sobbed. "He's a bad dream?"_

"_Yeah," said Peter. "He's just a really bad dream."_

"_I'm scared, Daddy."_

"_I know. But we gotta find Mommy, okay? We'll go together."_

"_Promise?"_

"_I promise. Let's keep going."_

_This time, Peter carried Hope in his arms as they continue further down the dark hall. When they got to a dead end, Hope silently pointed to one side which suddenly transformed into another hallway. After what seemed like another endless hallway Peter found himself at the top of a steep staircase leading down into what seemed like a darker place._

"_She's down there, isn't she?"_

_Hope nodded. Peter wasn't sure whether to take Hope with her into the darker areas of Olivia's psyche but then he had to remember that he couldn't go further without his little girl, no matter how scared she was. Peter held her tighter and began descending down the dark stairs and into the room that would reveal Olivia's damaged psyche._

_He got to the bottom sooner than he had expected and found the floor was moist and squishy and red. The floor had been stained with blood. He didn't even want to think above who's blood it was but there were large puddles of it spreading everywhere along the floor._

"_Daddy?"_

"_Shh. Just close your eyes for me okay?"_

_He didn't know how he was able to see. He just knew. The room seemed to resemble a dark murky basement. Aside from blood on the floor, there also seemed to be syringes, scalpels, and other medical tools that seemed scattered all over the floor in a heaping mess._

_The far corner of the room had a worn futon and curled up in the shadows was Olivia, wearing a medical gown and looking pale and on the verge of death. Her eyes look to everywhere in the basement but at Peter and Hope. He knew by his senses that Olivia had been here before. This was her memory, just like Hope's, but all jumbled. The room itself was the very cellar that her stepfather had held her in for six months. Peter then remembered how the Secretary had trapped Olivia's conscious in the darkest place in her mind. He had trapped Olivia and all her senses in her worst nightmares and memories to never wake up from. _

_Even as Peter got close to her, she made no acknowledgement of his presence. "Olivia?" Her eyes turned to his but she wasn't looking at him at all. "Olivia, it's me, Peter."_

_Still she was silent._

"_Mommy!" Hope was naively happy to see her mother and was trying to reach out to her. Peter put Hope down and she went over to give Olivia a hug. This seemed to finally get Olivia's attention. Her eyes turned the little girl who was hugging her with a little more recognition now, but she still seemed lost._

"_Olivia…" Peter followed his daughter's lead and this time tried to hold Olivia's hand._

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_We're trying to get you out of here, Olivia."_

"_No," she cried. "I can't leave. He'll come back. He always come back."_

"_No he won't Olivia. We killed him, remember? I promise you he's not coming back. Not now. Not ever. He's just in your head."_

"_Make it go away…" she pleaded. "Please…"_

"_I will make it go away, Olivia," he said. "You just have to come with us."_

"_I'm scared, Peter."_

"_Mommy…"_

_Olivia looked over at her daughter. "Please, Olivia," said Peter. "If you can't do it for me, do it for her. She knows what you're going through. She can help but she needs you to come back with us…"_

"_But how?" Olivia asked._

_Peter reached a hand out to Olivia. "Take my hand and hold on to Hope's hand. You have to fight this place Liv. You have to think about out and about coming out of this place."_

_Olivia reluctantly reached out and held Peter's hand but suddenly all three of them heard a noise coming from the doorway Peter and Hope came in from._

"_Oh god, Peter. He's coming. He's coming back!"_

"_Olivia, don't think about that," said Peter. "Don't think about him! You have to think about us. Don't think about anything or anyone else but us."_

_Hope held onto her mom's hand while Peter held Olivia's and Hope's. They had to form the connection as they had before. Peter could feel the flashes occurring again…flashes into both Hope and Olivia's worst memories. But he wasn't about to give up. He had to give them both reassurance that they would all be okay…that they would all make it back. He mentally poured out as much love and comfort to his two girls, holding their hands as tight as he could until…_

Peter opened his eyes as his ears were filled with Hope's cries. His eyes adjusted to the dark room but he could tell they were all back on the bed in Massive Dynamic's medical ward. Olivia was still lying rather motionless. Peter reached over and held her hand. There was no response.

"Olivia…" he said. "I'm so sorry."

For the longest time, Peter was crying. Amidst his own tears, he could see Olivia was slowly opening her eyes and looking at him. He didn't think anything of this. She was probably as brain-dead as she was before. But she was staring at Peter almost longingly. It finally got his attention. And he could see something different in her eyes…something almost lively.

Her lips were struggling until Olivia formed a smile, a weak smile but still more beautiful and wonderful than Peter ever hoped for. He felt a strange sensation in his hand and found that Olivia's fingers were gently tapping against his.

She was back.

**Still more chapters to go guys.**


	30. Into the Night

Walter didn't get as many visitors as others in the asylum. So he was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of a nice red-headed woman who was about his age entering the meeting room. "Hello, Walter. Do you remember me?"

"Are you a nurse?"

"No, I'm Nina Sharp. I was friends with you and William Bell. Don't you remember?"

"I'm sorry," Walter said kindly. "I'm not good at remembering much. I don't even know how long I've been in this place."

"It's only been a few years."

"Has it been really that long?"

"Yes it has," she said. "Now Walter, I've used my authority to get you out of St. Claire's."

Walter frowned. "I don't see why you would. What use can I be to you? Who would need me?"

"Walter, you're greatly needed and not just by the world. Look who's come for you…" Nina then opened the door and Peter came in and sat by Walter. "Peter?"

"Hey Walter."

"I thought you'd be fatter."

Peter laughed it off. "Thanks Walter. Somehow I'm not surprised that you would say that."

"Oh, but where's your mother?"

Peter dropped his head down. He couldn't believe that Walter had already forgotten that Peter had informed him of Elizabeth's death on his last visit. In only a few years, Walter wasn't the functioning man that he once was.

"Come on, Walter," he said as he took his father's hand. "Let's go."

…

Once they got into the limo, Walter seemed to be in better spirits. "Are we going to Reiden Lake?" he asked.

"No, Walter," said Peter. "It got burned to the ground."

"By who?"

"The other side."

From then it became silent until they arrived at Massive Dynamic where Peter led Walter to the apartment near the top floor. Peter opened the door and entered the apartment first. As he stepped in, he could see Hope taking steps across the carpet. Walter was greatly overjoyed. "Is this?"

"Walter, this is Hope, your granddaughter."

"Da…" In the course of six months, Hope had been able to walk and even say a few words. She was waddled her way towards Peter, but stopped as soon as she saw Walter standing behind him. Suddenly, the joyous look on Hope's face turned into instant fear. She started screaming crying and ran into the bedroom.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Walter.

Peter didn't know what to say. "She…" How could he tell his father about what Hope went through, how Hope remembered what happened to her and who was doing all of those horrible experimentations to her? "Walter, I'm sorry. She's not going to be comfortable around you. It's a long story."

Walter frowned. But to his surprise a girl came out of the bedroom carrying Hope in her arms. She seemed happy and joyous at the sight of Walter but stayed rather silent.

"Olivia?" Walter was all smiles again. "You look different. You're not so little are you?"

Hope was clinging to Olivia as tight as she could trying to get away from Walter.

"My Olive," said Walter. "You're not speaking much. Are you alright?"

"Walter," said Peter. "I should tell you that, I got to meet him…my real father. It didn't turn out well for any of us. He did some really terrible things to Olivia and Hope."

From there Walter was able to put the pieces together. He could see that Olivia still had some bald spots covered in bandages on her scalp but were combed over as her hair started to grow back and that her limbs would occasionally twitch. "Oh Olive, I'm so sorry."

She gave Walter an assuring smile. "She's getting better though," said Peter. "The baby is like therapy to her and there's this guy that comes in once in a while to help her. His name is Sam Weiss I think."

That night Walter was having a meal with his family for the first time in years. He was sad as he watched Olivia struggling to lift a fork having to get extra help from Peter. Hope was crying ever since she was sat in the highchair not wanting to be at the table with Walter there. Suddenly, the plates and cups started to slowly rise from the table and were going high into the air as Hope's tantrum intensified.

"Walter, get back!"

Everyone got away from the table as the plates and cups came crashing down. Olivia finally picked up Hope. "Dammit," said Peter. "She's going to be like this for awhile."

Olivia took Hope into the bedroom while Walter was looking at the mess in awe. "Fascinating," Walter said. "That child's power is much stronger than what could possibly be imagined."

"You should see what she does to the bathroom on occasion," said Peter. "Once a week, she turns the room into a flippin' forest."

They heard the doorbell to the apartment buzzing and Peter was not surprised to find Nina there. "Are you alright? We heard noises," said Nina.

"Sorry. Hope was having another temper tantrum." Peter then could see guards swarming outside the door. "What's going on?"

"There's been a breach in the labs. It's nothing to be alarmed about but we need to put the building on lockdown until everything's sorted out. No one can leave the apartment until I give the word." Nina then left locking the door behind her.

"A breach? What would they break into Massive Dynamic for?"

"I could take a guess," said Walter.

Peter then went to check on Olivia and Hope both oblivious to the situation that was going on outside. Olivia had her hands full anyway as Hope was causing plants to grow in the bathroom again. Vines were coming out of the pipes and tiles. It was going to be a big mess to clean up.

A few hours later, Nina returned to the apartment to brief them on the situation. "It was a theft, just as I feared," said Nina. "Peter, I'm afraid you and your family will have to relocate. You're not safe in this building anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"We have reason to believe that the theft was an inside job…meaning that someone who has access to this building is a traitor. We won't be sure of whom until we finish questioning. But we do know that they could have information on you and your family being here and that's a risk we can't take."

"But how does a theft equal to kicking us out?"

"I don't think you understand, Peter. Walternate's reign of terror might be over but there be others looking for them, Olivia and your daughter, and have a high interest in them. If even the United States government knew about them, what they're capable of, do you think they would be treated any better than how your father treated them?"

Peter sighed. "We can't go back out there again. Please? It's too hard."

"You're going to be fine," she assured him. "You're going to be located to a place that only I know of and Walter will be with you. For now I think you should tell Olivia to pack her bags. You should depart before morning."

As soon as Peter hurried to tell Olivia what was going on, Walter leaned over to ask "what did they take?"

Nina explained, "we had semen samples that your son provided for us a while back. We've kept them for study purposes but all the vials were stolen. The thief came straight for Peter's and nothing else. Which means they'll be looking for the other half, if not Olivia's eggs, then they'll look for Olivia herself. They'll want to do what Walternate had planned to do, create an army with the most powerful children on earth."

From where he stood, Walter could see Olivia and Peter in the bedroom. They were sitting on the bed, shaking and holding onto each other. "I can't do it," said Walter. "I can't possibly go with them. I caused all of this. The child…she's terrified of me."

"Walter, you shouldn't look back on your mistakes. What's important now is that your son needs you. They're only children. It's going to be a long time before they can recover from everything they've been through. You can help them. They need someone to take care of them."

It was around 3 in the morning when Nina quietly led Walter, Peter, Olivia, and Hope to the lower level parking garage of Massive Dynamic. They didn't exit the building under normal procedure and the security detectors in their way were turned off temporarily. No one was to know that they were being escorted out and no one was to know when and how.

The parking garage was dark as Nina led them to a brown-colored, windowless van. "Olivia, you and Hope will have to stay in the back and stay out of sight until you've reached the destination. Peter and Walter will have to stay discreet while on the road."

As Olivia got into the back of the van with her daughter, Nina gave Peter the keys and a large envelope containing the map of where they were going to. "When your mother died a few of her things were sent to me. I feel you should have them back."

"Thanks," said Peter.

"You're the only one who can do this, Peter. I'm sure if your mother had known what you've been through, she would've been proud."

"I doubt it," said Peter. "But thanks."

Peter got into the driver's seat. "Do you mind if I nap, son?"

"Not at all," said Peter. "After you open the map and tell me where we're going."

Walter fiddled through the envelope as Peter began driving out. He felt something strange at the bottom of the envelope and pulled it out. It was a small diamond ring. The etchings in the ring felt familiar to Walter as he fiddled with it. Soon enough, he realized the ring was Elizabeth's old wedding ring.

"What is it, Walter?"

Walter put the ring back in the envelope. "Oh nothing, I have the map. Perhaps it wasn't best that I drive. I still would want to contribute in some way."

"Don't worry. I'll let you drive the last ten minutes of the way there," he joked.

…

The man had arrived at the entrance to the warehouse, showing the steel briefcase he had to the camera that was outside. The door opened and he was let in.

"You have it then?"

"I do." The man opened the steel briefcase with the vials.

"What about the girl? We have nothing of hers."

"Have you checked with the other side?"

"The labs were completely destroyed and everything within it. We're still going to need her and she's going to be hard to obtain."

"They'll trust me," the man said. "It shouldn't be a problem."


	31. Rebuilding the Family Unit

**I've decided instead of sequeling this to just keep continuing adding chaps to this one and make this one never-ending epic that may never finish until I'm exhausted. Enjoy the ride!**

The car kept screeching to a halt every several feet or so. "Walter stop!"

"It's nothing to worry about, son," said Walter. "Besides, I'm the one with the driver's license."

"If you keep braking like that, you're gonna throw Olivia out of the car." Olivia attempted to hold onto Hope as they were practically thrown around in the back of the vehicle. Walter continued to drive recklessly through the remote woods, the deal to let Walter drive the rest of the way having now gone sour. "These blasted signs."

"Turn here Walter." But Walter turned too soon and the car was now driving down a gravel-heavy slope. Everyone in the car was now bouncing. With a few more maneuvers, Walter attempted to get the car back on the road but to no avail. "Alright stop!" Walter put his foot on the brake, the car stopping just short of a tree. Hope was crying now and Peter was frustrated. "I'm driving the rest of the way."

After switching seats with Walter again, Peter drove the car up the gravel slope again until he saw a strange hill to his right. The hill was similar to one marked on his map and instead of going back up the slope, he found himself driving through the ditch, towards the direction of the hill. He was forced to stop as a large fallen tree was infront of them. Peter then got out of the car. This was where Nina's instructions had led them to but there we no houses anywhere…only hills and trees.

He went up to the fallen tree trunk and saw a spot where the initials "MD" were carved in…Massive Dynamic's logo. He looked through the branches until he saw a strange metal bar. He pushed the metal bar down and suddenly the tree trunk sank into the ground, but just ahead of him the bottom of the hill began to open up like a car garage.

Peter got back into the car and drove into the strange cave and then closed them in. It was dark as they got inside and everyone piled out but then a light suddenly turned on from a lamp against the wall. The cave they were in was in fact a hidden garage. "Up there," said Walter as he pointed to a strange staircase leading up. Everyone with great hesitancy, followed the staircase up until it lead to a door. They opened the door and to their surprise they found themselves in a room.

They had found the hideout that Nina spoke of. The complete inside of the hill had been shaped into a functioning house, warm and well-furnished. They quietly explored the house to find that everything had been prepared for them. The cabinets were filled all the way with food. As soon as Olivia placed Hope down on the wooden floor, she took of running through the rooms, exploring things at a pace that made it hard for Olivia to catch up with her. She ran after Hope who found one of the two bedrooms with a large bed and a crib.

Peter began to feel reluctant about the whole thing. Nothing felt temporary about this place. "How long do you think we'll have to stay here, Walter?"

"You think this is some sort of vacation, son? Someone as valuable as Olivia…or the child for that matter is going to be sought by so many. We may have to live out the rest of out lives here."

"What? You can't be serious! We can't stay inside this hill forever."

"It's not a matter of choice, Peter. For the sake of those girls, we cannot exist to the outside world anymore. We'll have to be extremely cautious when we go out…at night, and only when necessary."

"But what about the soft spots? Olivia and Hope didn't get to all of them."

"If it's safe to go out again, Nina will send us word," said Walter. "Until then, it's my responsibility as your father to look after all of you."

Peter scoffed. "Oh yeah, cause you've done so well with THAT in the past."

"Peter…that's no way to talk to your father."

"You're not even my real father, Walter. Get over that! Everything bad that's happened to Olivia and Hope is because of you, remember? You started all of this by kidnapping me."

"But Peter…"

"I'm going to bed," said Peter. He stormed into the big bedroom where Olivia was already settling in. While she was not at the point of recovery where she could speak, she could still communicate with Peter just by emotion and from holding hands. Peter slumped on the bed by Olivia and she held his hand.

'_Peter?'_

"Sorry about that screaming, Liv. But Walter…"

'_I overheard everything.'_

"Sorry," he said again.

_'It's going to be alright, Peter. Besides, I miss having someone taking care of us instead of doing everything ourselves. I kinda miss Walter.'_

"But Hope…"

_'She'll be okay. She needs more time to see that Walter isn't the same man that hurt us.'_

Despite Olivia's assuring words, Peter knew that the night terrors would come for his daughter again. They weren't as bad for Olivia anymore, even though she still had many sleepless nights. But for Hope, it was an unusual case. She wasn't suppose to remember or even dream of those things at her age, yet Hope was haunted by the experience and even knew that they were going to try and dissect her in that lab. She was slowly growing a bushel of dark blond hair and her eyes were often blue but would strangely turn green (like her mother) when she was afraid or distressed. In the middle of their first night in their underground home, Hope began to wail and levitate objects sending them flying around the room

Peter and Olivia spent most of the next day cleaning up the damage. As their daughter was reaching toddlerhood, her abilities were becoming uncontrollable and far less predictable. At this point, they were scared that if she got near Walter that she would set him on fire. It made interaction between any of them difficult. Walter did his best to take care of things despite his unusual behaviors and thoughtlessness. He impressed Peter by proving to be a good cook. But aside from that, the Bishop boys continued to get on each other's nerves. They weren't the family they used to be at Reiden Lake. They were slowly starting to realize that there was no going back to that life.

"You can't be serious, Walter," said Peter. "We don't have room in this house for you to set up a lab."

"But I think I have a way to help my granddaughter control her abilities."

"No experiments, Walter. You can make nothing but frittatas and root beer floats for dinner if you want. But please, no experimenting on them. They've been through enough of that with _him_…"

"My altar," Walter reminded himself. "I didn't realize..."

"Look, Olivia wants us to try and get along. But I can't see how…even though she did say she missed you."

"Did she?" said Walter. "At least someone in this house won't mind my presence."

"It's not just that," Peter sighed. "Back at Massive Dynamic…I was gonna ask her to marry me."

"Wonderful."

"No, it's not wonderful," said Peter. "It's a stupid idea. I mean, how can I even ask her with everything we're going through? We're not even old enough to take care of ourselves."

"Marriage isn't a matter of timing," said Walter. "I asked your mother as soon as I realized I wanted to. Which reminds me…" Walter then got up and went to his room. When he returned, he placed a small object in Peter's hand. He seemed to recognize the etchings within. "Isn't this?"

"Your mother's wedding ring. She would've wanted you to have it, Peter."

"It wouldn't be the same," said Peter. "I wanted to do it the normal and honorable way. How can we get married if we can't even leave the house?"

"I became an ordained priest in '72. It was part of a psychological experiment on religious students. You and Olivia might not be at the age of consent, but it won't matter. I can do it, Peter, if you would consider. I've always wanted her to be a part of our family."

Peter reluctantly took the ring. He didn't know why he was so nervous about asking. They were already bonded in a way that was inseparable. But Olivia deserved a proper union, a proper marriage. He wanted to give Olivia a normal happiness, something neither of them had ever known. He also felt embarrassed, knowing that if they did marry they would still be very dependent on Walter. And Peter was unsure of whether or not Walter seemed fit to take care of anyone let alone himself.

All these concerns caused him to delay the proposal for weeks. He felt pathetic about it, but he also felt a little more hopeful. Olivia was gaining her strength and was able to speak a few words a day, and Hope was becoming a little more controlled though still a bit untrusting of Walter.

Walter was doing his best to be a good caretaker to the three of them. One morning, Walter burst into their bedroom. "Children, come into the kitchen!" After struggling to get up, Peter, Olivia, and Hope made their way into the kitchen to find that Walter had gone all out on breakfast and in the center of the table was a large birthday cake with a small candle. The cake had icing with the words _'HApPy BIrtHDAy HOpE'_ sloppily written.

"Walter, what is this?" asked Peter.

"Do you think I would forget my grandchild's first birthday? Sit down and eat." Breakfast went about surprisingly well. Hope actually stayed cooperative in Walter's presence. She didn't cry or scream and she got to taste her very first slice of cake. Olivia had a slice and realized the icing tasted very familiar. "Baconberry?"

"Oh you remembered, Olivia! That's wonderful. It's finally good to have bacon in the house after so long, isn't it, Peter?"

Peter rolled his eyes at his father. His hand reached into the ring that he had in his pocket. Today seemed a good and significant enough day to try. "Olivia, there's something I've been wanting to ask you…"

But before Peter could hold his breathe to finally ask they heard an unusual sound. The kitchen went dead silent. Nobody moved as the noise continued. "It's coming from downstairs," said Walter.

"That's impossible," said Peter. "Nina said she's the only person who knew about this place. She would've called us ahead of time." Walter went to the TV and turned it on. One of the channels was footage of a hidden security camera from outside, their only window to the outside world. They could only see a strange car pulling into the hill but they couldn't see the driver.

Peter and Walter got up as they headed to the door that led downstairs. "Olivia, get Hope out of here." Olivia picked Hope up and led her out of the kitchen. There was a secret passage out of the hidden home inside the bathroom. Olivia decided to wait in the hall by the bathroom just in case.

Peter quickly grabbed a sharp knife from the kitchen drawer as the door slowly began to open.


	32. Another Union

As soon as the intruder stepped in Peter was already charging at him.

"Whoa stop!"

Peter was able to control himself in time. "It's fine, Walter," he said as he lowered the knife in his hand. "It's Sam Weiss. Olivia? It's okay."

Olivia came back into the kitchen and felt relieved to see Sam there. "How did you know where to find us?" asked Peter.

"Nina told me," said Sam. "She wanted me to come by to see how all of you were doing."

Peter seemed suspicious of this. "You'd think she would've called."

"Plus, I wanted to see if Olivia was making progress. How goes it?"

Olivia was still struggling with speech. It was hard for her brain to process what she wanted to say and then to get those words spoken. "O-kay."

"Hmm," said Sam. "Sounding better but still a bit disjointed. We'll have to work on that."

"But we must stay inside," said Walter. "It's too dangerous for any of us to go out during the day."

"Inside it is," said Sam.

But Peter still wanted to keep a very watchful eye on him as he gave Olivia his typical speech and physical exercises. Sam made a huge difference in her recovery since they returned to this world. Yet Peter worried that they would never be safe, nor could he trust a whole lot of people right now. He barely had any trust left for Walter.

The whole time Sam was in the house, Peter made sure that Hope was in another room. Sam didn't seem to act unusual or strange. He acted like himself, a man full of puzzles and intrigue. Olivia found herself making progress and within a few hours Sam had let himself out.

"You're still feeling suspicious about Mr. Weiss?" asked Walter.

"I thought Nina was supposed to be the only one who knew about this place."

"So did I."

Sam was driving back to New York but not to return to Massive Dynamic. He didn't like what he had to do but he had no choice in the matter. The fate of his kind relied on it. He managed to sneak a microchip on Olivia's person. Now they would know where she is but it would be their decision when they would strike, not his.

…

A few days passed and Peter knew he could not wait anymore.

It was early morning but he and Olivia awoke in a dark room. He wished that they could go outside and see the sunrise but it was too risky. He had become so protective of Hope and Olivia that he couldn't chance going outside even at night. That left Walter to go out for them whenever he needed to and could.

Peter thought it was better this way. He could live inside of this house never seeing the outside world again if it meant that Olivia and Hope would be safe. After everything they've endured, Peter wouldn't be able to forgive himself if they got hurt again. He knew it wasn't easy on Olivia. She had Peter and her daughter but she lost her family and her innocence and she knew deep down that she was never going to see them again. If Peter could find a way to make her happy here with him, then all of their hardships would be worth it.

"Olivia?"

Olivia stirred from the covers and held Peter's hand. _'Yes?'_ Peter pulled her closer to him. "Are you happy here with me?"

She seemed quiet for a moment. _'I do wish sometimes, that it didn't have to be like this, but I have you and Hope. I'm happy with that.'_

Peter snuggled her. The apprehension was killing him. "Marry me."

'_Peter?'_

"I've been wanting to ask you for the longest time Olivia. I know we're already bonded but I want to do it right. Please?"

Olivia began to kiss him. "Yes. I'll marry you." At that very moment, a strange feeling overtook the room. Peter and Olivia were feeling strange as they did once before, in their secret house. Their bodies were beginning to ache for each other again. Peter was feeling the animal-like urge to rip off Olivia's clothes and do it now. She was already fiddling with his shirt but suddenly stopped.

"Peter…" she gasped. _'Let's get married tonight.'_

"Tonight? Seriously?"

She held his face. _'I don't know why but I feel like I can't wait any longer…and I don't think you can either.'_

…

Just outside of the secret house, they found a cliff overlooking much of the forest. It was a dark moonless night, and the candles Walter brought didn't seem to make their surroundings any brighter. Peter did not have any decent clothes and was wearing his cleanest jeans and shirt for the occasion. It was not the kind of wedding he wanted to give Olivia but it was all they could pull together at the last minute.

"I feel hot, Walter," Peter moaned.

"It's actually pretty cold out, being fall," said Walter as he bouncing Hope on his lap.

But Peter was still feeling sweaty and irritated to the point of almost wanting to rip off his clothes. "What's happening to me?"

"I think your body is reacting to the anticipation of the marriage. You and Olivia have been struggling with the urge to have intercourse all day. It's a good thing we're doing this now."

"I just wish she would come now," said Peter.

"She will, son."

Moments later, the bare tree branches around them began to shake. To their surprise they began to quickly sprout and blossom a beautiful array of pink and white. But this was impossible. It was October and it was cold. Suddenly the candles that Walter had lined around them began to glow intensely until they became bright as torches.

Walter smiled. "I believe Olivia's coming."

Olivia had finally appeared and in the midst of everything Peter could not believe his eyes. Her wedding garment was a very traditional look, long and wrinkly like a Victorian-era nightgown. Knowing that they were outside, she wore a bridal shroud over her head almost concealing her entire face from exposure. Every part of her seemed cloaked in pure white, unwilling to reveal any part of herself unless it was to Peter. It was her choice. She had fashioned the gown herself through her own ability and she carried a white tulip bouquet in her hands, the symbol of their very first meeting. Even though Peter could not see her beyond all the white that she wore, he still believed she was beautiful. He knew that she would be even more beautiful once he had his chance to undress all the white from her and take her back to their room.

Even the earth seemed prepared for her arrival as the rocky ground suddenly transformed into a soft grassy padding for Olivia's bare feet.

"Mama!" Hope excitedly ran to Olivia and clung to the dress. Olivia smiled. This wasn't the wedding she imagined but she couldn't have been happier.

"Here son, take Olivia's hand." Walter pulled Olivia closer to Peter and they were holding hands infront of him. "Under the eyes of God, the two of you are bonded physically and spiritually. You have shared abilities, emotions…" Walter at his little granddaughter. "…and you have created together. On this night you honor the bond by taking one another as husband and wife."

Peter pulled out his mother's ring from his pocket to place on Olivia's finger. This time, when they held hands again, a strange glow formed within their palms. They didn't know what it meant, or if it was their abilities reacting to the unusual ceremony. Peter and Olivia were silent, almost mesmerized in the glow.

"We're standing in a soft spot," said Walter. "It's reacting to your bond with one another.

The glow intensified until Peter and Olivia could feel the power of the glow flowing within them as if giving them a new surge of power that they had never been filled with before. And little Hope was giggling and looking at the curious light in pure wonder.

"Walter. I don't get it. What is all of this?"

"I'm sorry if you and Olivia expected a traditional wedding, Peter. But given the circumstances behind your bond and your abilities I believe this was more appropriate approach. The universe has a power we cannot understand but I do know it recognizes both of you…and your union. We don't know if it God or if it is another being but I believe I can now pronounce you husband and wife."

Peter then leaned over and slightly pulled back Olivia's bridal shroud to kiss to her lips. The energy was flowing within them rapidly and their primal urges were starting to take control.

"I think we should get back to the house," said Peter.

"Wonderful," said Walter. "I can look after my granddaughter and you two can spend the night consummating. Peter, I left a present in the nightstand drawer that you might need for the occasion."

"Walter."

"Enough, son. Go. You're running out of time."

Leaving Hope with Walter, Peter and Olivia hurried back to their bedroom.

"Peter…" Once he laid Olivia on their bed, they both realized that her wedding dress was starting to slowly peel away on it's own undressing her without any hands.

"What are you?"

"I don't know," she said. "I guess I couldn't wait anymore. I want you."

Peter hurried to the nightstand drawer and inside was at a dozen packaged condoms with a note in familiar writing.

**_Remember, condoms are not always 100% effective. –Sincerely, Walte__r (your father)._**

But at least this time Peter would use them. As he was unrolling the condom, Peter could feel the room slowly changing. The walls began to fade around their bed into a white nothingness but Peter and Olivia took very little notice. As soon as Peter was sure the condom was good, he undressed himself and crawled into bed. The last shreds of Olivia's gown had peeled away and she spread her legs in anticipation of him.

A strange white light began to surround him as he thrust into her. The energy they had formed during the first union was now much stronger than it had ever been before. They knew they were not in their room anymore but in a place of their very own where there was no one or thing but them.

From outside the bedroom, Hope and Walter could not hear anything but they could see light seeping from out of their bedroom.

"Mama! Dada!" Hope tried to run towards the door to their room but Walter grabbed her just in time. "Wait," he said.

"Mama, Dada gone."

"I know," said Walter. "I'm afraid they're in a different place beyond reach of any universe right now. I'll explain it to you in about 10 years…or maybe that should be 5."

* * *

**Yay a wedding, and post wedding sex! I hope that makes up for my lack of updating. Don't worry. There's still more story to be had as soon as I can think of it. All I can say is the universe still has more unexpected plans for young Peter and Olivia.  
**


	33. The Coming Storm

They awoke in darkness, their naked bodies tangled in a mess of sheets and in each other. They had returned from the strange realm of light where they consummated their marriage. Olivia looked at the ring she wore, still in disbelief. She was married. She was now a wife now. And somehow she believed that the unusual ceremony had made her eternal bond with Peter stronger and more powerful.

When Peter woke, he truly thought he was in heaven. There was nothing that gave him more joy or more peace than holding his soul mate in his arms. "Good morning, Mrs. Bishop," he teased.

Olivia smiled. "That was a very interesting wedding."

"Well, we are special people."

"Do you believe that stuff Walter said…about the universe recognizing our bond?"

"And why does that matter?"

Olivia shrugged. Perhaps it didn't matter, but Olivia couldn't help but feel that nature was responding to her and Peter, and not just through their abilities. Even now, they could still feel the intense energy that they shared last night as they made love.

Eventually they got dressed and entered the kitchen where Walter and Hope were happily waiting for them. It was wonderful to see the two of them getting along now that they had been left alone for a whole night. Walter had even made what he dubbed "Newlywed Pancakes".

Everything was still so surreal for the young husband and wife but they now felt more comfortable about being one family again. Maybe now that they were married (at least by the universe) they could finally find some peace, even if they were in hiding.

Little did they know that the universe still had more plans in store for them.

…

For weeks since they were married, Peter had been loving and loyal to Olivia even as she lied ill in bed. He thought it was a bug or perhaps a side effect from their abilities. Since the week after their wedding, Peter had been hearing heartbeats again. It was driving him crazy to the point of a migraine, so he sympathized with Olivia's illness.

It didn't help matters that Hope was mumbling and saying things that didn't make any sense. Peter and Olivia just assumed that she was entering the toddler years. She would often crawl into bed with her mother and play underneath the covers. She would laugh and giggle repeatedly, which kept Olivia from resting as Hope kept saying something along the lines of "mama…glowy". Between Hope's unusual behavior and her constant vomiting, Olivia was finding very little rest.

"Walter, stop it! It's not possible."

"She shows all the signs, Peter."

"We used protection. I would've known if the condom broke or slip and it didn't."

"Perhaps you didn't put it on right."

"Are you kidding me?" The argument continued to escalate as Olivia was quietly eavesdropping in the hallway. She knew there was no holding back anymore and entered the kitchen.

"Olivia." Peter was shocked by his wife's very distraught condition. "You shouldn't be up."

"He's right Peter," she said softly.

He hurried to her side thinking that she was being delusional from a lack of sleep and was ready to pass out any minute. "What are you saying?"

"My period…it never came."

Peter shook his head. The denial was overwhelming. "No…no that can be."

"It can, son."

"Stop it, Walter! I told you we used protection that YOU gave me. If anything you could've damaged those condoms."

"Of course not. I would never do such a thing," said Walter. "However I do have a theory."

"What, and please don't say anything about the universe."

"I'm sorry, son but my tests have shown that if nature intends for something to happen, it will find a way. We've studied animals who would often mate in sporadic time patterns and found that the natural environment played a role in the development of their sexual urges AND their fertility. Why else were you and Olivia having those uncontrollable urges weeks ago? Because the universe knows you're both special and intends to use the two of you to meet its needs. I believe there was need for you to have another child."

Peter stood there dumbfounded. "We…we just can't."

"And yet it still happened, Peter. You got Olivia pregnant despite your insistence that the condom was placed properly."

"How can that be?"

"You and Olivia have been traveling and healing the soft spots with Hope. But you hadn't finished getting to all of them. The universe is in more need of that power that Hope possesses if it is to survive. And it might not stop with one child. You and Olivia are still quite young. If nature intends it, there might be far more offspring in your future."

As father and son, continued to fight, Olivia returned to the bedroom struggling to take everything in. At 15 years old, Olivia was going to have another child, possibly more. Hope came into their lives completely out of nowhere and it felt like this baby was doing the same.

"Mama…glowy."

Hope was reaching her hands up to Olivia's belly.

"Hope? Do you see something? Am I glowing?"

"Belly." Olivia realized that it wasn't her that Hope saw glowing it was her stomach. She look over at the floor where much of Hope's toys and books were scattered. Hope crawled over to grab a piece of paper she had colored to show Olivia. "Glowy."

Upon closer inspection, Olivia could see that the strange blob shape that Hope drew bore the shape of a human embryo. She looked up to see Peter by the door. "Hope can see it."

"See?"

"The baby." Olivia took Hope into her arms. "Peter…why is this happening to us?"

"I don't know," said Peter. He sat down by Olivia's side and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," said Olivia.

"It's not yours either…and besides we've done okay with Hope, even after everything we've been through. And if Walter is right…then…we're just gonna have to get by with another baby or five."

"But what if I can't?"

"I don't think we have much of a choice…"

"I meant, what if I can't? What if my body can't handle it? I almost died with Hope, don't you remember?"

"Olivia, what happened with Hope won't happen with this baby. We'll make sure you have a normal healthy pregnancy, I promise you."

"And the others…"

Peter silenced her. "One kid at a time, Olivia."

His words only brought Olivia a temporary source of comfort for them both. Because in truth, Peter was just as scared about Olivia being pregnant again as she was. Of course this would be a normal pregnancy but it still terrified him how Olivia almost died when she had Hope. He couldn't bear the thought of Olivia going through that again.

But sooner than expected, Olivia's baby bump began to show through her small skinny form. Her body was in constant pain. Walter believed the cramps were due to Olivia not having experienced a normal gestation with Hope. And hard as Peter tried, there was little he could do to ease the pain.

To make matters worse, a snowstorm had overtaken the area. The news reports predicted that high winds, freezing temps, and snow as high as 2ft would make this blizzard one of the worst in New England's time. Walter and Peter rushed to prepare for the storms as best as they could but with Olivia's condition, it was difficult to ration enough food and medicine for what was now 5 people. The generator in their hill home wasn't functioning to anyone's expectations forcing the family to camp in the living room, the warm center of the house. They were gathered around the fireplace wrapped in thick clothes and endless layers of blankets.

"Do we have anymore of your old lab files to burn, Walter?" asked Peter.

"Absolutely not. I've stored all the ones I wanted to keep in the car. If you want them for your firewood, then you can get them."

"It's near zero degrees!"

"Indeed. We might have to start burning furniture if we're ever going to get through this winter."

But Peter was so worried about Olivia and Hope that he might have to. His girls were still shaking beneath all of the coverings they had. Peter and Olivia even had to go as far as sewing towels together to make blankets. Food was so scarce that Peter was eating less so that Olivia could have more. She was nursing Hope again so that she had enough to eat as well. No one was in a fit condition to survive the winter.

"Peter…"

"Hey, need another blanket, Olivia?"

"No. I have to show you something. Come here."

Peter look over and saw that Olivia was unpeeling the blankets and clothing until her baby belly was exposed. "Olivia, don't. You'll freeze."

"It's okay," she said. "Look closer."

Peter looked down at Olivia's exposed skin. It seemed like a bruise or perhaps a strange inner swelling but what he saw was a small glow…a light in Olivia's womb and the little form of life that nestled within it. He placed a gentle hand over Olivia's stomach and felt the charge. He could hear the heartbeat. He could see and feel the child, shared the senses. "Isn't it amazing, Peter? You can feel all of her."

"Her?" said Peter. "We're having another girl? Are you sure?"

Olivia smiled. "I'm sure."

There was a sudden thud coming from down the hall, a small rumbling that sounded an earthquake went on for a second and then stopped. Everyone was dead silent. "I think the roof might have collapsed in the other room," said Walter. "I'll check. Stay with Olivia."

As cold as he was, Walter had to take initiative as the head of the house and went down the hall to check on the damage. He found no snow or roof collapse but he smelled smoke and was hearing pop noises coming from Peter and Olivia's bedroom. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a huge swarm of flames that was engulfing the far side of the room where Hope's crib was. The ceiling above now had a huge hole of flames and falling snow Walter ran back to the living room. "The house is on fire!"

And then they heard another thud, another second shaking, this time coming from Walter's room. It occurred to father and son that this wasn't just a house fire. It was a bombardment. They were being attacked.

"Get up!"

Peter pulled Olivia up and grabbed Hope. Walter ran to the kitchen, to the door leading down to the garage. "Downstairs! Hurry!"

Hope cried and everyone hurried downstairs and got into the van. The freezing cold had little effect on them as the bombs came crashing down on the house. Walter struggled to start the van. "Walter, there's two feet of snow outside. We're trapped!"

"There's only two ways out of this, Peter. Fire or ice."

Walter backed the van out so quickly that the hidden garage door was barely open as they tried to escape. They could feel the blizzard storm striking against the van as they made it outside. Infront of them, the windshield only revealed a blurry white and a yellow glow from the inferno. "I can't see a thing!"

"Walter! We're spinning!"

Olivia was holding onto Hope in the back of the van, as it was indeed spinning and sliding. Walter was losing all control unable to see anything.

"Olivia!"

Peter unbuckled his seatbelt and crawled into the back of the van, but only darkness greeted him…

The hill house was now a smoldering volcano of fire. The van trapped in a ditch, with all of its occupants unconscious, was slowly disappearing in a desert of white.

* * *

**Cliffhangers are fun...for me anyway.**


	34. Back to the Road

When Peter finally opened his eyes, all he could see was a blinding light.

"Peter?"

He couldn't make out anyone but he recognized the voice. "Olivia?"

The light calmed down and Olivia was seen holding Hope in her arms.

"Olivia, you okay? Are the babies..."

"We're fine, Peter. We used our abilities just in time to make sure none of us got hurt."

From the front seat of the van, they could hear Walter scuffling. "Oh my. Did I fall asleep at the wheel?"

"No," said Peter. He became worried at the windshield was now cracked and snow was seeping in. "We gotta get out of here." Peter helped Walter into the back of the van knowing that it was there best option out. But before Peter could open the van a blast of wind found it's way in.

Someone was opening the van door from the outside. With all the snow and cold coming in, everyone inside felt immobile. They could not move nor see who was coming in but Peter grabbed onto Olivia at tight as he could. He wasn't going to let her go.

"You!"

The man who crawled in was brushing off the snow from his person. "Don't let it surprise ya. I'm not the type of person that should've been trusted to begin with."

"Sam, you're the one who led those guys here...the one who broke into Massive Dynamic?"

"Believe me, it wasn't my choice. Now are you gonna get out of here because those guys are going to find you in here any minute."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm trying to give you a head start. Now hurry up. You don't have much time." As soon as Sam fled the van, Peter helped his family to do the same. They all got out to be greeted by the blizzard but they could see the fire from their home and helicopters getting closer to them. They were trapped.

"Hang on, Peter," said Olivia. A sudden light appeared infront of them and Peter realized she was opening the doorway to the other side. It was very hard to see. "Hurry."

Peter gave Hope to his father and he pushed them through first. Then he pulled Olivia as shots rang out. They fell through the portal together and fell on a hard surface.

"PETER!"

Walter went over to them and notice a red stain on Peter's side. "Son, you're bleeding!"

"Peter?" Olivia tried to reach out but Peter pushed her back "I'm fine".

"You got shot. Oh my god, Peter, you're pale!"

"It's nothing," he said. But words began to fail him as his vision was getting blurry.

"Peter, no!"

…

Peter had no memory of blacking out. He felt a warm present to one side and could see Hope curled up against his bandaged wound, fast asleep. Peter couldn't turn his head to see where he was.

"Olivia?"

She was soon by his side. "I'm here, Peter."

"What...where am I?"

Someone else stepped in to look over Peter. "Let me see," he said. "Feeling anymore pain Peter?"

"A little bit."

William smiled. "That's a good sign. It means you're getting better."

"What are you doing here?"

"I heard what happened to your home. I headed straight for the coordinates in case you crossed over. You're a lucky man, Peter."

But Peter sure didn't feel like it.

The family had been resting in this campground while Peter recovered from his injury. At least in this universe they didn't have to worry about people looking for them anymore...at least they hoped.

"The task is still far from done, Walter," said William. "There's still time to get to all the soft spots."

"It's not safe for them," said Walter.

"It's going to be alright. There's still the project."

"What project?"

"The one we've been secretly working on since they were children. The one off the coast of Ireland?"

Walter looked at William in shocked. "It's...it's happening."

"It's been happening ever since you told me about their attachment to each other. About a year ago when they first bonded, we got a response. The project has taken off tremendously since then but it's still far from finish. Until the other soft spots are healed, only then can all of you finally come."

"It will take some time," said Walter.

"I know. You must remain strong for them until then. Keep them safe."

…

William took the family to a safe place where they could cross back to their world. William had advise them to not go back to Massive Dynamic for safety. It was better for them to continue on.

In the months ahead, the Bishop family got an RV and was driving quietly across the country continuing the work of healing the soft spots. They were always aware, always cautious of who they encountered and went by many aliases along the way.

Meanwhile, Olivia's pregnancy was getting more and more painful as the baby in her belly grew until finally, on a very cold night, Olivia had woken from her sleep. She knew it was time. She struggled to get out of the bedroom to inform Peter who was driving at that hour but couldn't so much as get out of bed. Finally she felt the motion RV come to a stop and Peter was quickly in the bedroom. "Olivia? I sensed something. Are you alright?"

"It's time, Peter," she said. "The baby's coming."

Peter and Walter quickly got the necessaries. Walter had never delivered a child before, unless you were to count calves and genetically altered animals.

"Oh god, Peter. It hurts worst than it did last time," she cried.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked Walter. "Why has she been in pain like this?"

"Your body is struggling to adjust to a proper gestation," explained Walter. "There's still damage from the accelerated pregnancy you had with Hope. This child may not be able to handle it. She's in grave danger."

"She's early," said Olivia.

"All the good ones are, Olive. Don't worry."

But both Olivia and Peter had a right to worry. The health of Olivia and the baby being at risk, the family worked throughout the night. The baby had to be born now. She could no longer last in Olivia's womb even if she was yet to be fully developed.

"Peter, the towels!"

Finally she came. Her breathing was erratic but she had some lungs. She was breathing at least. She wasn't as pink as Hope was. It almost seemed impossible that Walter was carrying a baby in the towels. They had no idea how tiny she was until she was finally placed in Olivia's arms.

"There she is!"

Olivia wept. "Peter..."

"I know, Olivia. She's going to be okay. We were meant to have her, remember?"

"Yes," said Walter. "The universe will heal her with time."

Hope seemed generally excited as her new baby sister was placed in her lap. The new baby was so small she like a baby doll.

"Peter...," said Olivia. "I want to name her after your mother, Elizabeth."

Peter smiled and even Walter was shedding a tear. Elizabeth just sounded perfect.

* * *

_**Okay, well I'm pretty much done and tired with this fic and I plan to post one final chapter tomorrow. You'll like it, I promise.**_


	35. Peace & Paradise

**1996**

Even after several years Elizabeth was still as tiny as she was when she was first born and it wasn't long before her abilities began to show. Life was hectic and cramped in an RV with two little girls who took their sweet time controlling their powers as the Bishops worked to heal the soft spots. They were bit calmer now than they were babies but still troublemakers. Hope was making flowers bloom from the seat cushions while Elizabeth was making a fountain in the toilet bowl.

Again, their parents were left to clean up after them but they didn't mind it. They loved their daughters too much. It was part of their power that through their bond Peter and Olivia would have an unbinding connection not just to each other but to their children, now that they knew that each time they would have sex, Olivia would be pregnant with another child.

But ever since they became husband and wife, ever since they conceived Elizabeth, no sexual urges came to either Peter or Olivia. They worried it was a loss of interest in a sexual relationship but Walter assured them that even without sex their bond was sealed tight and so would their love for one another.

Getting to the soft spots and healing them served them no trouble, especially since Elizabeth's abilities helped to get the work done faster. In the course of three years, they had lost track a bit and weren't even sure if they got to call of them. Walter must've made a miscalculation along the way and soon they found themselves backtracking. But then, what were they going to do with their lives after all of this was over?

The answer came to them one night. The RV was parked off the side of a quiet road in the middle of the woods. Peter and Walter were sleeping on separate couches. Olivia and the girls were sleeping in the bedroom. Walter thought he was being delusional but...

"Walter, wake up."

Walter mumbled "son? Having a bad dream?"

"No," Peter whispered. "Someone's at the door." The knocking continued as Walter finally got to his feet and cautiously opened the door. Peter stepped back closer to the bedroom to be near Olivia. To their surprise Walter opened the door to reveal the Observer.

"Oh hello, there," greeted Walter. "It's been years since I last seen you, hasn't it?"

September only said, "It is time".

Walter was confused. "Time? Time for what?"

"The project is finished."

"The project? Belly's project?"

"The children's work here is finished. I've been sent to escort all of you to the meeting place."

Peter had been listening in from the hallway. Walter happily turned to him. "Hear that, Peter? The project! It's time!"

"What project? What are you talking about?"

"No need to worry, Peter. I'll start the RV and we'll be on our way."

The RV followed September's car across the country. They were heading back east towards the coast. It was hard to believe for any of them that their job was finished.

"What happens now?" asked Olivia. "Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure," said Peter. "But from what Walter's told me, I don't think we'll be coming back from it."

The next night, they had all arrived at the beach. A sailboat was nestled on the docks and a figure was slowly approaching the group.

"Hello, Walter."

"Nina!" Walter seemed happy to see her but the others not so. "Peter, Olivia, it's been a while. Your girls have gotten so big. It's a shame this might be the last time we'll meet for now."

"Do you know where we're going?" asked Peter.

"It's a haven, one that was made especially for you and your daughters. I'm sorry that my efforts to protect you failed, but where your family is going, it's completely hidden from the world. You'll be safer there than you ever were here."

Olivia asked "So we really are leaving forever, then?"

"Consider it, moving on to a better place," said Nina. "William will be waiting for all of you there."

Olivia pulled out a folded paper from her pockets and handed it to Nina. "Do you think you could get this to my sister, Rachel Dunham?"

"Of course, Olivia." She turned to Walter. "You've done a very good job with them, Walter."

"Oh thank you," he said. "Will there be breakfast where we're going?"

"Well Walter, considering your granddaughters, you're going have anything you've ever wanted and more."

"Oh that's right," he said. "I keep forgetting that I helped in the project."

September was at the helm of the sailboat as the Bishop family got on. The boat quickly vanished from view as they all headed out to sea with very little to look back on.

It was a very cold and enduring 24 hours in that boat. They never bothered to ask September any questions as to where he was taking them to. Walter insisted that he knew where he was going...

...until the found themselves in a windstorm.

Walter came up to September to help him at the helm. "We're here," said September. This storm is the barrier that protects the island. We need their energy to get through."

"I see," said Walter. He fought the winds to get below deck where Peter and Olivia were huddling together with their children. "It's time, son. We need you and Olivia to hold hands now."

"What for?"

"Just do it, Peter!"

Peter quickly held Olivia's hand and then they held their daughters' hands until the four of them formed a circle. It took only seconds before the energy was flowing through all of them. If they wanted to get past the storm, this had to be done.

Within seconds the winds began dying down. The boat wasn't tilting so much, and soon it felt like they were just coasting. It even seemed like it was getting brighter and warmer outside. Everyone went back above deck and saw their destination in close range. The island had an unusual glow around it as they all could see.

"Is this the other side?" asked Olivia.

"This place belongs to no side," said September. "It a place beyond reach of any universe, a place without time and location. Only those for which it was created for can enter it."

The boat was docked on the beach, where none other than William Bell stood to greet them. "You've made Bishops. Welcome to your new home."  
"What is this place?" asked Peter.

"At one time, it was an island known as Hy-Brasil, a mythical island from Irish legend that vanished from the maps. It is now a sacred place between worlds for those with special abilities like yourselves."

"But how did this place come to be?"

"You did it, Peter," William explained. "You and Olivia when you first bonded you produced enough energy to create this sacred realm and for the past several years, I have been preparing it for your family. I'll show you around."

The group climbed towering hilltops where they got a whole view of the island. The girls were running around happily, already settling into their new home. "It's beautiful," said Olivia.

"It's your home," said William. "Anything you desire here, anything you want it to be will be through your will and desire. Day can turn into night. Summer can turn into Winter. Your abilities here are far more powerful that even the slightest thought can trigger it. Look."

They turned to see Hope and Elizabeth were giggling and levitating several feet in the air.

"Look mommy, we're flying!"

"Hey, get down from there!" Peter grabbed onto the girls' legs, fearing that they were going to float away. William chuckled "it's alright, Peter. There is no harm or danger here. The island knows you are its creators. It is shaped and controlled by your will and it protects you from both universes through its barriers. There's nothing to make you ill and aging is much slower here. It is the closest thing ever invented to immortal paradise." He started to head downhill. "You've earned this place and now you and family can enjoy eternal safety and peace. I must go now."

Walter asked "where are you going William? I thought you were too weak for crossing over."

William smiled. "Do you remember Walter, when we discussed the possibility of other universes out there beyond the ones we know? Health be damned, someone needs to explore them." And with that William disappeared never to be seen again.

...

Rachel had found an unusual letter in the mailbox. What made it unusual was it's New York City postmark but the writing looked very similar to the letters Olivia sent to her when she was a child. She learned that Olivia was alive and that her stepfather had died a few years ago. Olivia had written her letters telling her what happened, how she met up with Peter again and became a mother and a wife. She would send a couple of pictures of the babies. The only thing the letters didn't explain was what she was doing with Peter and why she couldn't come home. All Olivia could say was it wasn't safe for anyone. Rachel had kept the letters secret from everyone as her sister requested of her, and yet she knew as she opened this letter, that this would be the last of them.

_Rachel,_

_We're on our way somewhere, I don't know where. Even if I knew what the name of the place was, I doubt you would be able to find it. I want you to know that you and Aunt Missy were always in my thoughts during all these years I've been with Peter and my new family. But now, I'm sorry to say that this will be my last letter to you. This place we're going to is one I can never leave from for our safety. It's the only place they say that my children will be safe. But I am happy. I am happy to be a Bishop and will go with them wherever they take us too. I'll miss you deeply and I'll remember the good times we had no matter how small they were. Please don't be sad. Live a happy life for me._

_Take care._

_Love, Olivia_

…

Having settled on the island for several weeks, the Bishops came to adjust and make a home out of the island's resources. With help from their abilities, Peter and Olivia were able to build a large house overlooking much of the mystical island, a house similar to the one in Reiden Lake. After much begging, Peter gave in to Walter's request for a cow...a cow that he would most likely want to experiment with. Peter and Olivia were able to summon a nice black and white cow to be Walter's lab pet and he named it Gene.

Hope and Elizabeth had free terrain of the island to played with their abilities as they saw fit. They would massive trees, build slopes and waterfalls and made it storm, even snowed a few times. Recently the girls started getting very creative. They were imagining new species of creatures that began to appear on the island. Walter loved to capture some for observation. But Peter and Olivia really wanted them to get their abilities under control. However, knowing that the aging process was slow on this island, that was going to take a while. Instead, they would have to embrace all the strange little things that they could do here, like levitating, plant growing. They could even shape the island if they wanted to.

And yet, the island was everything William had promised, a safe peaceful place where Olivia and Peter could raise their daughters knowing that no one from either universe would come after them again. They had suffered for so long, their island home was merely a dream in their minds.

"Walter? Walter?" Peter was trying to get his father's attention but he was more interested in studying the crude looking unicorns that one of the girls had conjured up on the island. "I need you to have other the girls while I take Olivia somewhere."

"Somewhere?" said Walter. "Where is there to go?"

"Hey, my kids aren't the only ones that can imagine up stuff here," said Peter. He headed over to the massive garden that Olivia had created and found her there sure enough. "Come on, Olivia."

"What? Where are we going?"

"Away from Walter and the kids. I have a surprise for you."

Peter and Olivia took a long walk to the far side of the island that the family rarely frequented. This side of the island was virtually quiet and filled with tall grass and plenty of shading. "This way." Peter then led Olivia through a stalk of trees until they were beneath a huge waterfall.

"Peter, it's wonderful."

"Do you like it? I decided to venture out here a while ago. I thought this would be a nice private place for us if we want it to be. You know...for..."

Olivia pressed her lips against Peter's. "Why don't we try it out now?"

Peter was really starting to like the way Olivia thought. Together they stripped off their clothes and swam in the cool waters. As soon as they got in, a strange calling of desire over took them and they swam towards one another. They were not only embracing each other, they were practically scratching each other out of an insatiable urge that suddenly overtook them. At first Peter was merely kissing Olivia but soon his lips began traveling down to lower regions of her form.

"Peter," she moaned. "I think this is it."

"I know," he said. "There's one more thing I have to show you. Come on." He got out of the water and pulled out Olivia to join him. Their urge was so strong, it didn't matter that they were walking naked through a grassy field until they arrived in a large field of white tulips. "I made this place just for you, Olivia." In the center of the tulip fields was a small cottage. When they went inside, all that laid in the center of the one room home was a large bed, scattered with tulip petals.

"Our new secret house," said Peter. "A place where we can be alone."

That was all that needed to be said. Olivia pulled Peter to the bed and right away they resumed with what they were doing beneath the water. With every kiss and every touch, the need grew.

"Peter! Now!"

He as more than happy to obliged. Olivia arched her back and spread her legs as wide as she could for him. She had been deprived of sex for so long. As for Peter, he never had an erection occur so quickly in his life. He wasted no time in entering her and allowing the strange flow of energy to consume them once more.

The glowing light appeared around them as he thrust into her. Olivia gave a moan louder than any he ever heard before. The slightest touch of Peter's skin on Olivia's became completely orgasmic. It wasn't like the past two times they had sex and they knew it was because of the island. The island made their sexual urges greater and their orgasms more powerful. Their bodies were far more sensitive to one another but they wouldn't have it any other way

They laid amidst the calm glow, fingers intertwined. They had been breathing heavily for the longest time. "I guess this means were having another baby?" asked Olivia.

Peter smiled, "you make it sound like it's a problem".

"Of course not, Peter. I love you."

"I love you too, Olivia."

From the living room window, Walter could see a luminous glow that appeared to be coming from the far side of the island and he smiled. Tonight had become Peter and Olivia's night and there would be many more to come.

* * *

**THE END! Yeah I was gonna do one more conflict (as several chapters foreshadowed) but I decided it felt too repetitive and I just wanted this story finished so I could have one less incomplete on my shoulders. Thank you all who read and review. I know this was a bit of a different direction from where the story began but I kinda knew I was gonna end up here in a way when I was first planning this fic. And btw, the island they're on (hy-Brasil) is the same island featured in the latest "Beyond the Fringe" comic (Issue 2A). That was the general idea if you all got it.**

**Thank you for your time. I have no idea what my writing plans are next but we'll see if my muse comes up with anything good.**


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